CLACKAMAS, Ore. — The Wilder Baseball Club rode some outstanding pitching and clutch hitting to win its second straight tournament, beating a team from Perth, Australia, to take the championship of the Diamond Classic.
Wilder won four out of five games at the 16-team tournament and pushed its record to 20-3 on the season.
“This was a legit 16-team tournament,” said assistant coach Larsson Chapman. “Any time you can come out of a tournament like that with a championship, that’s huge.”
Last weekend, Wilder won its own Firecracker Classic in Port Angeles.
Wilder won two out of three games to qualify for the semifinals Sunday evening against host Clackamas. Wilder won this game 3-2 thanks to a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning by Joel Wood.
Hayden Woods pitched the first five innings, striking out three and giving up no earned runs. Ian Miller pitched the final two innings, giving up zero earned runs and striking out one to pick up the win.
The game was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh when Wilder’s Tyler Bowen got on base on an error. Milo Whitman laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Bowman over to second base to put him in scoring position, and Wood followed with his game-winning hit.
Wood finished the game 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Carson Jackson was 2 for 2 with a walk and a triple and Whitman had a hit to go along with his crucial sac bunt.
That win put Wilder in the championship against the Perth team, which had players on it from Texas and Dubai. Wilder won 3-1, again getting near-perfect pitching.
Bo Bradow pitched the first four innings, giving up no earned runs while striking out five to pick up the win. Brody Merritt pitched the last three innings for the save, giving up no earned runs and striking out three.
Merritt also had a big two-run double in the second inning which turned out to be the winning runs. Bowen was 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Gavin Guerrero for an important insurance run. Guerrero finished the game 2 for 3 with two runs scored.
Miller also had a hit and a run scored.
Wilder returns to action playing Prep Sportswear on the road Thursday for a NW Area 1 American Legion league game. Wilder plays at home in a doubleheader against the Skagit Sox on Saturday at Volunteer Field beginning at noon.
