PORT ANGELES — Wilder backed up starting pitcher Ethan Flodstrom defensively and produced 15 hits and 13 runs offensively in a 13-0 blowout of Lakeside Recovery on Friday night at Civic Field.
The victory improved Wilder to 3-0 in the Dick Brown Memorial Firecracker Classic, and coupled with results from other tournament games, puts Wilder in solid position to play in today’s tournament championship at 4 p.m.
Wilder also beat Centerfield 16U 4-1 (recap below) earlier Friday.
“That was a good one,” Wilder coach Karl Myers said of the win over Lakeside. “After the game before [against Centerfield 16U], where we were waiting for that one big hit to break it open and leaving guys on every inning it was good for our guys to get some big hits and open it up a little bit.
“First game we were putting good swings on but just missing. Tonight, our guys had a really good approach and were swinging with confidence.”
Five of Wilder’s 15 hits were doubles.
Flodstrom had one of those doubles, a deep blast to the right-field fence to bring home Chance Wilson with Wilder’s final run. He finished 2 for 4 with three runs and two RBIs at the plate.
Flodstrom took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth and ended up going six full innings, allowing two hits, four walks and a hit batter with five strikeouts.
With a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third, Flodstrom pitched himself out of a self-induced jam after walking a batter and hitting another.
“He pitches with great tempo and sometimes he can get going a little too quick and its just trying to get him to slow down and refocus,” Myers said. “Pitching with tempo is great, but if we get going too fast that’s when we can get in trouble.”
Flodstrom was aided defensively with excellent plays by Gavin Guererro at shortstop, Milo Whitman at second base and Chance Wilson at third.
Whitman was part of two double plays in the game.
“Defensively, we were so solid,” Myers said. “Milo and Gavin are so dynamic up the middle. They are playing so well with going and getting to balls and Chance had a really nice play to snag that foul ball.”
Whitman and Wilson also had RBI doubles and Hayden Woods added a two-run single as Wilder poured on five runs in the seventh inning.
Through Friday’s games, Wilder’s (12-2) winning streak was up to 10 games.
Tyler Bowen, who was 3 for 5 with a double and three RBIs for Wilder, said the team’s success comes down to chemistry.
“Our camaraderie and everybody working together,” Bowen said. “When we are communicating and cheering everybody on that’s when we seem to do the best.”
Myers liked what he saw.
“It was a solid all-around effort.”
Wilder played Centerfield late Saturday.
Sunday’s games begin with a fourth/fifth-place game at 10 a.m., followed by a game between the tournament’s second and third seed at 1 p.m. with the winner moving on to play in the championship game at 4 p.m.
Wilder 13, Lakeside 0
Wilder 2 0 0 0 3 3 5 — 13 15 0
Lakeside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0— 0 2 2
WP: Flodstrom
Pitching
Wilder — Flodstrom 6IP, 0R, 2H, 4BB, HB, 5K; Bowen IP, 0R, 0H, 2BB.
Hitting
Wilder — Bowen 3-5, 2B, 2SB, R, 3RBI; Flodstrom 2-4, 3R, 2B, 2SB, 2RBI; Woods 2-4, R, 2RBI; Wilson 1-2, 2HBP, 2B, 3R, RBI; Guerrero 2-3, BB, RBI.
Wilder 4, Centerfield 16U 1
PORT ANGELES — Wilder’s toughest game of the tournament came against the upstart Centerfield 16U squad Friday afternoon.
The Vancouver-based Centerfield 16U took an early lead in the bottom of the first, putting the lead runner aboard and eventually scoring on a fielders’ choice.
Bo Bradow picked up the complete-game three hitter, walking one and striking out five for Wilder.
Wilder scored all four of its runs with two outs in the third inning.
Milo Whitman got the rally going with a line-drive single to left field, followed by a walk to Matt Bainbridge.
Joel Wood then knocked a two-run triple to center to bring in Whitman and Bainbridge.
Carson Jackson was hit by a pitch and then stole second and Ethan Flodstrom came through with a sharply hit two-run single to right field.
Wilder 4, Centerfield 16U 1
Wilder 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 — 4 8 1
CF16U 1 0 0 0 0 0 0— 1 3 1
WP: Bradow 7IP, R, 3H, BB, 5K.
Pitching
Wilder — Bradow 7IP, R, 3H, BB, 5K.
Hitting
Wilder — Wood 2-4, 3B, R, 2RBI; Flodstrom 1-3, 2RBI; Whitman 1-3, R; Jackson 1-2, R; Bowen 1-3, Guerrero 1-3.
Wilder 11, Prep Sportswear 1, 6 innings
PORT ANGELES — Wilder opened the tournament with a one-hit blowout of Prep Sportswear in six innings Thursday at Civic Field.
Ian Miller picked up the win, going four innings and allowing a hit and a walk and striking out three.
Wilder scored four runs in the bottom of the first to give Miller plenty of breathing room.
Ethan Flodstrom’s two-run single scored Joel Wood who reached on a leadoff single and Carson Jackson, who reached via bunt.
Gavin Guerrero then hit the first of his two doubles on the night and Brody Merritt followed with a two-run double to right field.
Wilder added three runs in the third, scoring when Bo Bradow was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home Guerrero, who previously doubled.
A fielders’ choice by Milo Whitman brought in Merritt, who had reached on a single, and Wilder scored the inning’s final run on an error by the Prep Sportswear first baseman.
Chance Wilson and Hayden Woods each pitched an inning in relief, with Woods striking out the side in the sixth to close out the game.
Wilder 11, Prep Sportswear 1, 6 innings
Prep 0 0 0 0 1 0 x — 1 1 2
Wilder 4 0 3 0 2 2 x— 11 16 0
WP: Miller
Pitching
Wilder — Miller 4IP, H, BB, 3K; Wilson IP, R, 2BB, K; Woods IP, BB, 3K.
Team —
Hitting
Wilder — Guerrero 4-4, 2 2B, 2R; Jackson 4-5, 2B, 2 SB, 2R, RBI; Flodstrom 2-5, SB, R, 3RBI; Merritt 2-2, 2B, R, 2RBI; Bainbridge 1-2, RBI; Wood 1-4, 2R
Wilder’s Carson Jackson swings during Wilder’s 13-0 win over Lakeside Recovery. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
