BELFAIR — The Port Angeles baseball boys bounced back from a bad loss in the West Central District 3 semifinals to rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Highline 4-3 to take third place in the district tournament.
The Roughriders (18-4 overall) begin play at the state 2A tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday at Joe Martin Stadium in Bellingham, taking on Mountlake Terrace (17-8).
In Saturday’s late game, the Riders had to regroup after losing 9-2 to North Kitsap in the semifinals. North Kitsap went on to finish second in the district, losing in the championship game 8-4 to Fife.
The Riders got off to a nice start as Carson Jackson, who was in the middle of the action all game long, led off by getting hit by a pitch and promptly stealing second. Joel Wood then knocked him in with an RBI double.
But, the Pirates pitchers slammed the door over the next five innings. The Riders fell behind Highline 3-1 after 6½ innings, but scored a run in the bottom of the sixth on a Hayden Woods groundout and another in the bottom of the seventh when Jackson hit a solo home run to tie the game.
Highline got runners on base in both the eighth and ninth innings, but the Riders got a double play in the eighth and pitcher Brady Shimko got a popup and a fly ball to end the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth, Jackson started the rally with a leadoff walk. Ethan Flodstrom walked and with two outs in the inning, Bo Bradow hit a single to center, allowing the speedy Jackson to score from second base with the winning run.
Jackson finished the game scoring three out of the Riders’ four runs.
Bradow finished the game 3 for 5 with a run and his game-winning RBI. Jole Wood was 3 for 5 with two doubles and an RBI, while Flodstrom was 1 for 3 with two walks.
McGuffey started the game, going five innings, giving up four hits and one earned run, while striking out three and alking one. Hayden Woods went three innings, giving up four hits, one earned run and striking out two. Shimko gets the win for his scoreless inning of work.
Mountlake Terrace finished 11-6 in the Wesco South League, tied for second.
Saturday’s game is a loser-out contest. If the Roughriders win, they play later that day at Joe Martin Stadium against either Highline or Burlington-Edison. The Riders lost 1-0 to Burlington-Edison earlier this year.
Port Angeles 4, Highline 3
High. 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 — 3 9 2
PA 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 — 4 11 5
WP: Shimko LP: Perkins
Pitching
Highline — Stacy 7IP, 9H, 2ER, 2K, 2BB; Perkins 1.2IP, 2H, ER, K, 2BB.
Port Angeles — McGuffey 5IP, 4H, ER, 3K, BB; Woods 3IP, 4H, ER, 2K; Shimko 1IP, H, 0ER.
Hitting
Highline — Howland 2-4, 3B, R; Stacy 2-3, RBI, BB, SB; Jarcta 2-4; Hagler 1-4, R, RBI; Enciso 1-4, RBI.
Port Angeles — Wood 3-5, 2 2B, RBI; Bradow 3-5, RBI, R; Jackson 1-3, HR, 3R, RBI, BB, HBP, SB; Flodstrom 1-3, 2BB; McGuffey, 1-4, BB, SB.
Quilcene 8, Lake Quinault 3
BREMERTON — Quilcene’s pitchers gave up just one hit and struck out 14 against Lake Quinualt, winning 8-3 at the Tri-District 1B Tournament and qualifying for the state 1B tourney in the process.
Quilcene takes the No. 3 seed out of district with the win. The Rangers begin play in the state 1B tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday at Winlock High School against Evergreen Lutheran. The Rangers have played Evergreen Lutheran twice this year, losing 6-2 and 15-5.
Starting pitcher Andy Johnston gave up no hits and struck out seven, giving up an unearned run. Olin Reynolds faced just 12 batters in 2 2/3 innings, yet struck out seven, giving up just one hit. Coach Darrin Dotson said Johnston and Reynolds “threw a lights-out game.”
Reynolds also contributed a pair of hits, along with Robert Comstock III.
Dotson said he told his players to play loose and they did.
“I told [them] this is our game to lose. The team that plays the loosest will win. We don’t have to take risks or chances . The pressure is on them,” he said.
