PORT ANGELES — Fending off a comeback attempt in the seventh inning by Fife, the Port Angeles baseball team hung on to beat the Trojans 5-3 at Civic Field in its bidistrict tournament opener, punching its ticket to the state 2A tournament.
Assistant coach Joel Wood was part of a Roughriders’ squad that won the district tournament. He said making it to state “has been our goal from day one.”
“This team has energy and brotherhood,” Wood said. “We want to bring a second district championship to Port Angeles.”
“We’ve worked really hard to get here,” said Jordan Shumway. “We’re not done yet.”
Port Angeles pitcher Colton Romero throws against Fife on Tuesday at Port Angeles Civic Field. (KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS)
Shumway said what makes this team special is its closeness.
“We all hang out together away from baseball. We’re just so close,” he said.
Pitcher Brayden Martin had to come in to pitch in the seventh inning in a tight spot with two runners on and one out, getting two tough outs to earn a save.
“I just trusted my defense. I did the things I’ve done all year,” Martin said. “This is my first year of varsity. It means a lot to us [to make state] and it means a lot for me to be a part of it.”
Port Angeles has two more bidistrict games to play at Central Kitsap High School at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, but those games are for seeding.
The Roughriders got great games from Alex Angevine, Colton Romero and Luke Flodstrom. Flodstrom had an RBI single to score Port Angeles’ first run in the second inning. In the top of the third, he gunned out a Fife baserunner trying to steal second.
Romero started the game and went five innings, giving up just three hits and an earned run while striking out six.
Romero completely dominated through the first four innings. In the fifth, Fife was finally able to break through with a run by getting doubles from Miles Ducharme and Carter Christiansen. Romero got a strikeout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Riders took command of the game with a big inning, using both baserunning and power.
Josiah Gooding led off with a single and Flodstrom was hit by a pitch. Rylan Politika laid down a great bunt. The throw went to third base and Gooding was just able to beat the throw to load the bases with no outs.
With the infielders drawn in on the grass to try and get the runner out at home, Nate Basden hit a clutch single through the infield to make it 2-1. Then, Angevine had the biggest hit of the game, crushing a two-run double. It was nearly a three-run double, but Basden was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base.
With Angevine on third base, Romero then executed a perfect suicide squeeze as Angevine broke for home on the pitch to make it 5-1.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Angeles centerfielder Nathan Basden catches a high popup during Tuesday’s playoff against Fife in Port Angeles.
Brian Guttormsen came in to pitch. He had a drama-free sixth, but the Fife hitters started pounding the ball in the seventh, stringing together three straight hits. After a pair of singles, Christiansen hit his second double of the game to make it 5-2.
Martin came in to pitch in a stiff wind with the tying run at the plate. He got a pop up for the second out of the inning, then a passed ball allowed a run to come in from third to make it 5-3. He then got the final out on a long fly ball to the deepest part of centerfield that Basden was able to corral in front of the fence.
Port Angeles (18-5) now gets to play in the bidistrict semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday against the No. 1 team in the state (at least in ratings percentage index) in 19-1 Enumclaw, which is moving up to 3A next fall. Win or lose, the Riders will play again at 4 p.m. against either North Kitsap or Steilacoom for either the bidistrict championship or for third place. The state tournament begins with opening-round games Tuesday and May 18.
Port Angeles 5, Fife 3
Fife 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 — 3 6 0
PA 0 1 0 0 4 0 x — 5 6 0
Pitching
Port Angeles — Romero 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 6 K; Guttormsen 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 K; Martin 0.2 IP.
Hitting
Port Angeles — Angevine 2-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI; Flodstrom 2-2, RBI, HBP; Basden 1-2, RBI; Romero 0-2, RBI; Gooding 1-2, R, HBP.
