EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated to correct the names of the outfielders who made catches for the final two outs of the game.
PORT ANGELES — Olympic learned a lesson about the power of perseverance by rallying for a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Toros in the North Washington Junior Babe Ruth 13U state baseball tournament.
Olympic, comprised of players from Port Angeles and Sequim, trailed 3-0 in Friday’s game and had produced just one hit, an infield single, in its first three trips to the plate against Toros starter Richard Funke.
But Olympic’s batters stayed patient, its relief pitchers and defense clamped down and the team reached the semifinals of the tournament.
“We battled,” Olympic head coach Zac Moore said.
“We went down 3-0, and their starter was dealing, and it was tough. But we kept going.”
Olympic starting pitcher Slater Bradley was chased after a deep RBI triple to the wall in right field by Spokane’s Cole Johnson and a hard-hit single up the middle by Matt Gabbert that put runners on first and third with one out in the top of the fourth.
But reliever Lucas Jarnagin got some help when catcher Brody Merritt threw out Gabbert on a steal attempt, and Jarnagin finished the frame when Jordan Eskridge lined out to center field.
“Lucas came in a tough spot with batters on first and second and threw strikes and got out of it,” Moore said.
Johnson took the mound for the Toros in the bottom half of the inning, and that’s when the trouble started.
He walked four of the first five batters he faced to pull Olympic within 3-1 with the bases loaded.
After the first walk, Olympic’s dugout came to life, the chatter increasing substantially with each batter sent to the plate.
“He threw a lot of balls early, and our guys were smart up there and took a lot of pitches and got things rolling,” Moore said.
Tanner Lunt uncorked a bloop single that fell in near the right-field line, bringing home a run and causing some base-running chaos.
Olympic runners Alex Lamb, Milo Whitman and Lunt all attempted to move up a base on a throw from the outfield to home, and a three-player pickle broke out on the basepath.
When the dust cleared, Whitman scored just before the final out of the inning was made, and Olympic had tied the game at 3-apiece.
Jarnagin got into a jam by allowing a walk and an infield hit to open the fifth inning.
Whitman came on in relief, and got a popup to left field that was lost in the overcast sky and dropped, loading the bases with the meat of Spokane’s order coming to the plate.
But Whitman struck out the Toros’ No. 2 hitter Cameron Sheley looking, and got a ground ball that shortstop Ethan Flodstrom turned into a double play to end the Spokane threat.
“Milo came in and he had bases-loaded with one out, and he came through with that nasty strikeout,” Moore said.
“And then he got the ground ball we needed, and we got the key double play started by Ethan Flodstrom.
“That was huge right there to get a double play with the bases loaded.
“That’s what you practice for and you hope you get that opportunity in a game.”
Olympic scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.
Derek Bowechop led off with a walk, moved to second base on a bad throw from the pitcher to first base and took third on a passed ball.
Tyler Bowen then directed an RBI single to right field to bring Bowechop home.
“Timely hitting is what helped us,” Moore said.
“Tyler Bowen came in there down 0-2 in the count, did a great job fighting his way back to 2-2, and then hitting a shot to right field.
“That’s what you want your No. 2 hitter to do.”
Whitman was helped by his outfielders in Spokane’s last chance in the top of the seventh.
Bowechop made his second sterling defensive play in right field, covering a good chunk of ground to snag a shot to the right-center gap.
“Bowechop made some great plays today,” Moore said.
“He had two great catches in the outfield that saved us runs.”
After a single by the Toros, Bowen tracked down a well-struck shot to deep center field, and Timmy Adams ran down a fly ball near the left-field line to close the game.
“The outfield came through today,” Moore said.
“The last three outs of the game were shots. They were hard-hit balls that we made great plays on.”
Olympic 4, Spokane 3
Spokane 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 — 3 5 2
Olympic 0 0 0 3 0 1 x — 4 4 2
WP- Whitman; LP- Johnson
Pitching Statistics
Spokane: Johnson 3 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 5 BB, 2 K; Funke 3 IP, H, BB, 4 K.
Olympic: Bradley 3 1/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K; Jarnagin 2/3 IP, H, BB; Whitman 3 IP, H, 2 K.
Hitting Statistics
Spokane: Johnson 2-2, 3B, RBI, R; Schwarz 1-2, 2 SB; Gabbert 1-2, RBI; Funke 1-1, HBP.
Olympic: Bowen 1-1, RBI, 2 BB, R; Lunt 1-2, 2 RBI; Bradley 1-2; Bowechop 0-1, BB, R.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
