PORT ANGELES — Wilder Baseball is a win away from another Firecracker Classic championship.
Wilder (2-0 through Friday) is playing for the 15th annual Dick Brown Memorial Firecracker Classic title today at 4 p.m. against the Washington Nationals (2-0 through Friday) on Civic Field.
The Port Angeles-based elite team is not a very good host of its own tournaments because Wilder will be trying to capture its 13th Firecracker title in the past 15 years.
The team is 15-3 on the summer after winning 14 straight games after starting the season at 1-3.
Wilder earned the title berth by winning its first two Firecracker games, blanking Victoria 8-0 in the first round Thursday, and belting Kingston 7-2 in the second round Friday.
The North Olympic Peninsula team opened the tournament on a high note, holding Victoria to four hits in the shutout while earning eight runs on 13 hits and no errors.
“We continue to improve our defense, and that is exactly what we need to do,” Wilder coach Chad Wagner said.
“Our pitching is doing good and our bats are starting to come alive. We need to keep it going and not let down. All our hard work is going to pay off if we keep grinding away.”
Port Townsend’s Kyle Kelly did everything for Wilder in the first game.
He threw a complete seven-inning game, giving up just the four hits and just one walk while striking out 10.
“He was dominate on the mound for us, and is beginning to prove why he is our ace,” Wagner said.
Kelly also was dominating at the plate, going 3 for 4 with a home run and a double. He also scored three runs, had an RBI and a stolen base.
“Kyle Kelly is leading this team by example,” Wagner said.
Also at the plate, Brett Wright went 2 for 3 for Wilder with a double, Kevin Herzog was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and Brady Konopaski batted 1 for 2 with two RBI.
In addition, Larsson Chapman was 1 for 2 with an RBI and run scored, and Devon Courtney went 1 for 2 with a run scored and a stolen base.
In other first-round games, Kingston beat Sequim 15-10 and Washington Nationals shut out Seattle Titans 3-0.
Wilder starts 2-0
On Friday, Wilder continued on its winning tear, scoring seven runs on 11 hits and just one error to Kingston’s two runs on just one hit and two errors.
“We took a slight step back in this game,” Wagner said.
“This tournament is a long weekend and the kids have to work it. It took a little out of them.
“We need to keep the energy we normally play with even if we are a little tired.
“We were not mentally prepared for this game and it showed in the first few innings.”
Still, Wilder held on for the victory.
“I was happy that we were able to turn a corner and make adjustments throughout the game,” Wagner said.
“We still have to learn to make pitch-to-pitch adjustments and not at-bat to at-bat.”
Michael Dean pitched five innings for Wilder and allowed just one earned run on no hits and four walks while striking out four.
Cody Russell threw the final two innings, giving up an unearned run on just one hit and a walk. He struck out three.
“Dean was OK on the hill,” Wagner said. “Still, his control was an issue. Russell did a great job coming into the game and working out of a little messy situation with guys at second and third and no outs.”
On offense, Wright was 2 for 3 with a run scored while Kelly went 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Chapman was 1 for 2 with two runs scored, two walks and a stolen base while Ryan Mudd went 2 for 4 with three RBI.
In other games in the second round, Seattle Titans beat Sequim 6-0 and Washington Nationals whipped Victoria 11-1.