PORT ANGELES — Entering the final inning trailing 2-1 and facing some dominant pitching, down to their final strike at one point, the Port Angeles Roughriders baseball team found a way to gut out a tough 3-2 walkoff win over a very good North Kitsap squad, locking up its second straight undisputed Olympic League 2A Division championship in the process.
Monday’s victory was eerily similar to the championship-deciding game last season in which the Riders won on a walkoff against the Vikings at Civic Field to claim the league title.
They did it in front of a packed crowd on the warmest game day of the year.
Port Angeles could have been content with a 2-1 loss. They still would have had a share of the league championship and the knowledge that they gave one of the toughest 2A teams in the state everything it could handle. But, the Riders showed why they are 11-0 in league. They simply hate losing and will find a way to win.
“That was crazy,” said coach Karl Myers, echoing the ancient rallying cry of the New York Mets. “It just means that you gotta believe.”
“We told them at the start of the game it wouldn’t be easy,” Myers said.
“This feels awesome,” said Brody Merritt, who had a critical at-bat in the seventh and pitched a complete-game gem.
“It’s a win over NK and a beautiful, sunny day with the boys,” Merritt said.
Lucas Jarnigan had the game-winning two-out, two-run hit in the bottom of the seventh, but he wasn’t the only hero on the day. A number of Riders played big roles in the win.
North Kitsap’s pitching duo of Isaac Richardson and Colton Bower had kept the Roughriders off-balance most of the game as Port Angeles only managed six hits for the entire game.
The Riders nearly broke the game open a couple of times, but couldn’t get any big innings going. In the fourth, Wyatt Hall scored Port Angeles’ first run on an error. Afterward, the Roughriders attempted a double steal with Tanner Lunt breaking for second and Tyler Bowen, who had doubled earlier in the inning and had moved to third base, trying to come home. But, Bowen got mowed down at the plate.
In the fifth, the Riders loaded the bases on a single by Flodstrom, a hit batsman and a walk, but on a Merritt grounder to second base, the Vikings were able to turn a double play on a very close play at first base as the game remained tied 1-1.
North Kitsap scored a run in the top of the seventh inning on a pair of singles to take a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the inning, setting up the dramatic conclusion.
Gavin Guerrero led off the bottom of the seventh with a single on an 0-and-2 pitch to get the Riders rolling.
Ethan Flodstrom drew a walk on a 3-and-2 pitch after fouling off a couple of pitches. Bo Bradow struck out after he was unable to get a sac bunt down and Milo Whitman struck out on a 2-2 pitch, leaving the Riders down to their final out and Guerrero 180 feet from home at second base.
That’s when Merritt had an incredible turn at the plate. He fouled off three pitches in a nine-pitch at-bat and ended up walking the bases loaded on a 3-and-2 pitch.
Lucas Jarnigan came in to pinch hit. After the Riders struggled all game to get the clutch hit to break the game open, they finally got it. Jarnigan hit a chopper down the third base line that looked like trouble as soon as he hit it. Sure enough, the ball took a bad bounce on the dirt and ate up Vikings’ third basemen Chris Schuchart, getting past him for a single. Guerrero came in easily and Flodstrom raced home from second base with the winning run. The Riders mobbed Jarnigan at first base in celebration.
“I just feel good,” Jarnigan said. “I love it. I love what I do. I love my role on the team.”
In addition to his huge seventh-inning at-bat, Merritt pitched a complete game to pick up the win. He allowed five hits, two earned runs, walked two and struck out five.
Myers said Guerrero getting on base from the lead off spot was critical. And that Flodstrom and Merritt’s patient at-bats were crucial.
“Guys were just grinding at-bats,” he said.
Myers said “you can’t ever expect to win these games,” but that win or lose, this game was going to be solid preparation for the postseason, because the Riders are going to see a lot of teams much like the Vikings.
Bowen finished the game 2 for 3 with a double. Guerrero, Hall, Flodstrom and Jarnigan all had singles, with Jarnigan driving in two runs and Guerrero, Flodstrom and Hall scoring runs. Bradow got on base three times with a walk and by getting hit by pitches twice.
Port Angeles (11-0, 15-3) played a final Olympic League 2A game Tuesday against Bremerton to try and finish the season undefeated in league. The Riders play at 3A Peninsula in a postseason tuneup today, then begin West Central District III Class 2A Tournament play at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Lobe Field at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Port Angeles gets a first round bye and will play the winner of the South Puget Sound League No. 7 seed vs. SPSL No. 5 game who face off at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Port Angeles 3, North Kitsap 2
NK 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 — 2 5 3
PA 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 — 3 6 0
WP: Merritt LP: Bower
Pitching
North Kitsap — Richardson 4.1IP 4H, 0ER, 3K, 5BB; Bower 2.1IP, 2H, 2ER, 2K, 2BB.
Port Angeles — Merritt 7IP, 5H, 2ER, 5K, 2BB.
Hitting
North Kitsap — Schuchart 1-2, 2B, RBI, BB; Reister 1-2, 2B, R; Bower 1-2, BB; Chmielewski 1-3, RBI.
Port Angeles — Bowen 2-3, 2B; Jarnigan 1-1, 2RBI; Guerrero 1-2, R, SAC; Bradow 0-1, 2HBP, BB; Whitman 0-2, 2BB; Hall 1-2, R, BB; Wood 0-3, HBP, RBI.
