PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles baseball team’s pitching staff collected its third straight shutout and fifth of the season in a 10-0 win on a frigid night at Civic Field on Tuesday.
The Roughriders have now gone 17 straight innings without allowing a run with catcher Luke Flodstrom calling the game for all three of those shutouts. Tuesday’s shutout was courtesy of Kole Acker, who went four innings, and Brian Guttormsen, who pitched the fifth.
Acker struck out six and threw just 47 pitches, 33 of them strikes, in four innings, allowing just two hits and no walks.
Port Angeles coach Zac Moore said running the bases and bunting early was part of the Riders’ game plan.
“We wanted to put constant pressure on them. It’s something we like to do,” he said.
“Props to our defense,” said Acker. The Riders made just one error all game and, as an example of that solid defense, the Riders turned in a beautiful round-the- horn double play. One a grounder down the third-base line, third baseman Colton Romero threw the ball to second baseman Josiah Gooding, who made the turn to first. First baseman Ezra Townsend made a great stretch to punch out the Sequim batter coming down the line.
Acker also pointed out that catcher Luke Flodstrom has called three straight shutouts for the Riders.
Acker is a sidearm pitcher, unusual for high school baseball. Acker said he’s been doing it since he was 8 years old. Some coaches years ago tried to talk him out of it, but he thinks a sidearm delivery is deceptive to the hitters.
“But, I always listen to my coaches,” he added.
Sequim coach Dave Ditlefsen said Acker was tough on the Wolves last year. “I give him a lot of credit.”
Ditlefsen said the Wolves had chances to make a game of it, with Zeke Schmadeke hitting a leadoff double to open the game and Sequim loading the bases in the fifth inning with just one out.
“We’re a young team and learning to compete at this level. They outplayed us,” Ditlefsen said. “We have to work harder to hit when we have runners in scoring position.”
The Riders were also good with getting timely hits with runners in scoring position.
Townsend had a two-run single in the first inning and Elijah Flodstrom a bases-loaded two-run single in the second. Acker drove in a run in the big six-run second inning with a sacrifice fly and Gooding hit an opposite-field flare to right field for an RBI single.
After that second inning, Sequim pitchers Toppy Robideau and Lincoln Bear settled down for the final two innings, allowing just one run.
Guttormsen had an interesting fifth inning for the Roughriders. Sequim loaded the bases on two hits and an error with just one out, threatening a big inning to get back in the game, but Guttormsen struck out Bryant Laboy and got Schmadeke to pop out to preserve the shutout.
Angevine finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two stolen bases, including a steal of home. Townsend was 2-for-2 with a run scored and three RBIs. Romero was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and Elijah Flodstrom was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Angevine also used his speed to end up on third after an outfield error. He later came in to score after that play.
For Sequim, Devyn Dearinger went 2-for-2. Ethan Staples also had a hit. Robideau went three innings on the mound, giving up nine hits and five earned runs while striking out one. Bear allowed two hits and no runs in one inning of work, striking out one.
Sequim also got a pretty double play from shortstop Aiden Holland to second baseman Laboy to first baseman Ricky Jennings.
Port Angeles (4-2, 7-3) and Sequim (1-6, 3-6) are right back at it again at 4:15 p.m. today in Sequim.
Port Angeles 10, Sequim 0
Sequim 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 4 3
PA 3 6 1 0 X — 10 11 1
WP: Acker. LP: Robideau.
Pitching
Sequim — Robideau 3 IP; 9 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, K; Bear IP, 2 H, K.
Port Angeles — Acker 4 IP, 2 H, 6 K; Guttormsen IP, 2 H, 2 K.
Hitting
Sequim — Dearinger 2-2; Schmadeke 1-3, 2B; Staples 1-2.
Port Angeles — Angevine 2-4, 3 R, 2 SB; Romero 2-3, 2 R; E. Flodstrom 2-2, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB; Townsend 2-2, R, 3 RBI, HBP; Gooding 1-3, RBI; Acker 1-1, RBI, SF.
Girls Softball
Sequim 15, Kingston 5
KINGSTON — Sequim’s Hannah Bates and Taylee Rome each had huge games as the Wolves romped over Kingston 15-5 on Tuesday, improving to 4-1 in the powerhouse Olympic League.
Bates went 4-for-5 at the plate with a triple, four runs scored and two stolen bases. She also had an RBI and a walk. Rome also went 4-for-5 with three doubles, two runs scored, three RBIs, a stolen base and a walk.
Lainey Vig also went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base. On the rubber, she pitched all seven innings, allowing seven hits and four earned runs while striking out eight.
Angel Wagner went 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and two RBIs, and Jordan Kidd hit a triple, scored a run, drove in two, stole a base and walked twice. The Wolves tallied a total of 15 hits.
Sequim (4-1, 4-4) next hosts Olympic (2-1, 3-5) at 4:15 p.m. today.
Sequim 15, Kingston 5
Seq. 1 0 4 5 0 1 4 — 15 15 2
King. 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 — 5 7 2
Pitching
Sequim — Vig 7 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 8 K
Hitting
Sequim — Bates 4-5, 3B, 4 R, RBI, BB, 2SB; Rome 4-5 3 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB; Vig 3-5, 2 R; Wagner 2-5 2B, R, 2 RBI; Kidd 1-2, 3B, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB; Pozerbnick 0-1, 2 R, 3 BB; Green 0-1 2 R, 2 RBI; King 0-4 R, 2 RBI, BB; Kirner 1-4, R, SB.
