PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles boys baseball team broke open a late 8-8 tie with some clutch pitching, defense and hitting in the final three innings to beat Sehome 12-8 on a rainy season opener at Volunteer Field.
The Riders pulled away thanks to a couple of big hits from Colton Romero and Alex Angevine.
After Sehome scored three runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 8-all, Romero had a run-scoring single in the fifth inning, bringing Angevine home from third to give the Roughriders a 9-8 lead.
The Riders picked up another couple of runs in the sixth on errors and then Angevine hit a double, scoring Bryce Deleon to make it 12-8.
Port Angeles’ cause was helped by a pair of double plays in the sixth and seventh innings. Kaleb Mullen caught a fly ball and threw out a Sehome baserunner in the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Angevine at shortstop turned a double play on a grounder to help snuff out another potential rally.
Brandt Perry, Deleon, Ezra Townsend and Mullen pitched the final 2⅔ innings, allowing no runs and no hits. They struck out four and walked five.
Angevine finished 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, an RBI, a stolen base and a walk, while Josiah Gooding had an RBI double, three runs scored and a walk. He also was hit by a pitch twice.
Mullen finished the game with a hit, a walk, stolen base, a run scored and three RBIs. He also got on base after being hit by a pitch. Rylan Politika had a hit and two RBIs and Jordan Shumway had two RBIs.
Despite the wet conditions, the Riders made zero errors.
On the mound, eight Roughriders pitched, striking out 11 and allowing only six hits. They did walk 15 Sehome batters. Angevine started, going two innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out three. The Roughriders’ batters drew 15 walks and were hit seven times themselves.
Port Angeles (1-0) begins Olympic League play with a game scheduled at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday at Bremerton.
Port Angeles 12, Sehome 8
Seh. 1 1 3 0 3 0 0 — 8 6 2
PA 3 0 0 5 1 3 X — 12 7 0
Hitting
Port Angeles — Angevine 2-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB, HBP; Gooding 1-1, 2B, 3 R, RBI, BB, 2 HBP; Mullen 1-2, R, 3 RBI, BB, SB, HBP; Romero 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB; Shumway 0-4, R, 2 RBI; Politika 1-2, 2 RBI.
Pitching
Port Angeles — Angevine 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; Politika 0 IP, H, 2 ER, BB; Martin IP R, 2 BB, 2 K; Stratford 1.1 IP 2 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 2 K; Petty 0.2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K; Deleon IP, BB, K; Townsend 0.1 IP, K; Mullen 0.2 IP, 2 BB.
