BELLINGHAM — Port Angeles got a spectacular pitching performance from Dane Bradow in the opener of the state 2A baseball tournament opener, but in the end, it was one tight pitchers’ duel too many for the Roughriders.
The Riders lost 2-1 to Liberty as both teams combined for 10 hits. It was the fifth low-scoring pitchers’ duel the Riders got caught up in during the postseason. At the West Central 2A District tournament, the Riders won games 4-1 (Steilacoom), 2-1 (Washington) and 1-0 (White River), while losing 3-2 to Fife.
In their six postseason games, the Riders gave up just nine runs. In fact, over their last 14 games, the Riders gave up just 29 runs.
Bradow went the distance, giving up no earned runs, four hits and one walk while striking out one, but Liberty’s Torey Anderson clamped down on the Riders. He gave up just six hits, one walk and one earned for the win.
Noah McGoff had half of the Riders’ hits, going 3 for 4 with an RBI. Tyrus Beckett, Luke Angevine and Ethan Flodstrom all had hits for the Riders, with Beckett’s hit a double.
The Riders end their season 15-8. It was the last game for seniors Ben Basden, Anthony Quinones, McGoff, Bradow, Beckett, Angevine and Kyle Blankenship.
Liberty 2, Port Angeles 1
PA 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 — 1 6 2
Liberty 0 1 0 0 1 0 X — 2 4 1
WP: Anderson LP: Bradow
Pitching
PA — Bradow, 6IP, 4H, 0ER, 1K 1BB.
Liberty — Anderson, 7IP, 6H, 1ER, 3K, 1BB.
Hitting
PA — McGoff 3-4, RBI; Angevine 1-3, 2B, SB; Flodstrom 1-3, R; Beckett 1-2, 2B
Liberty — Syberg 1-1, RBI; Thoresen 1-2, RBI; Curl 1-2, Anderson 1-3.
Naselle 3, Quilcene 1
CENTRALIA — For the second year in a row, Quilcene was stopped at the State 1B Tournament by Naselle.
The Comets won in a pitching duel 3-1 over the Rangers. Andy Johnston pitched a complete game three-hitter for Quilcene, but the Rangers could never break through against Naselle, which beat the Rangers in another close game 7-6 at District. The Comets beat the Rangers 5-2 at state last year.
“We just couldn’t get the hits when we needed them,” said coach Darrin Dotson. The Rangers managed just five hits of their own.
Robert Comstock had a clutch double for the Rangers that scored Quilcene’s sole run of the game.
The Rangers finish the season 11-8. Dotson said he didn’t expect Quilcene to make state this year after a slow start. The Rangers started the season 4-4 before winning five out of six to end up with the most wins in the Sea-Tac 1B League and a district berth.
“I wasn’t expecting them to go this far,” Dotson said. “I thought this would be a rebuilding year.”
