CV Comes Up One Short Of State-Bound Richland
Baseball
Even the miracle-laden Central Valley baseball team couldn’t overcome Richland in the role of Cinderella on Saturday.
The Bombers beat the Bears 3-2, in the Region IV-AAA championship game at Seafirst Stadium to spoil a potential trip to the final round of four at Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium.
Before the exciting final, CV shut out Kennewick 3-0 and Richland lambasted Ferris 26-4.
What wasn’t spoiled for CV, however, was an amazing season. As far as the Bears’ two games were concerned, CV showed it had the kind of heart with which teams can win championships, even if they don’t get that far.
In the top of the fifth inning against Richland, CV left fielder Rick Chance robbed Steve Lowe of at least a base hit when he crashed into the wall to make a spectacular catch.
Two batters later, Chance went face-first into the wall trying to catch a ball hit by Jared Mitchell.
Chance left the game to clear his head, but the senior managed to return to his position to play another inning in his last high school game.
Then there was the defensive wizardry of CV shortstop Andrew Larson and third baseman Raif Jochim. In the two games, Larson and Jochim were each credited with seven putouts.
It was probably an ugly stroke of fate that Larson committed an error which allowed another Richland run for a 3-0 lead in the top of the seventh.
CV entered the bottom in a three-run hole, but, as had been the case for most of the season, the Bears started a rally.
Nate Lynch got an infield hit before Jochim tripled to center field. His hit, misplayed by Mitchell, rolled to the wall and allowed Lynch to score to cut the lead to 3-1.
There were two outs when Richland pitcher Micah Dunham walked Corby Schuh, then Chance followed with a routine grounder hit at shortstop Steve Lowe. Lowe, however, booted the ball, allowing Jochim to cross the plate to make the score 3-2 with runners at first and second.
Erik Eigenhius then pinch-hit for Ryan Butner, but he flied out to right to end the game.
“There are no excuses,” CV coach Ed Garcia said at day’s end. “We got beat in a great ballgame.”
If there’s any consolation for CV, it may be found in the fact that Richland’s story this season was just as compelling.
CV (14-6) started the season at 3-4, but the Bombers (15-8) started at 3-7. Though they’ve won 12 of their last 13, the Bombers finished in sixth place in the Big Nine Conference .
“There was no team chemistry because there was a lot of bickering,” said Dunham, the Richland pitcher credited for both wins. “This feels great.”
Said Richland coach Ben Jacobs: “We haven’t been (to state) since 1977. That’s too long.”
Not as long as CV’s absence, though. The Bears haven’t been to state since 1975.
In the Bears’ first game, Lynch came up with his fourth consecutive game-winning hit in the top of the sixth against Kennewick with the game scoreless.
Also in that contest, Eigenhius may have pitched the game of his career as he scattered five hits and kept the Lions off the scoreboard.
In the first game of the day, Richland scored 11 runs in the first and sailed past Ferris (12-6). Ferris pitcher Eric Sandberg had control problems early, as did his relief help.
Four different Saxons pitchers walked 15 batters. The lone bright spot for Ferris was Brandon Molett’s monster opposite-field home run in the fourth.
The Davenport Gorillas gained a berth in the state playoffs with a 4-1 win over Republic in the Region III-B Tournament at Spokane Falls CC.
Davenport earned the right to play Republic after an 11-6 win over Garfield-Palouse. Republic got there with a 4-3 win over Manson.
Tyson Deal earned the win in the first game for the Gorillas and finished the day with four hits.
West Valley/Yakima defeated Cheney 1-0 in the Region IV-AA tournament at Ephrata.
WV scored on an odd play. With runners at first and third, Cheney pitcher Tucker Urdahl attempted a pickoff at first.
But before the runner at first could be tagged out during a run-down, WV’s Josh Pierce alertly trotted home from third for the game-winner.
In Region IV-A play at Moses Lake, Naches Valley beat Colfax in the regional championship 7-3. Colfax beat Brewster 14-7 to advance to that round.
The Bulldogs pounded out 19 hits in the first game but could only get four against NV.
In Region III-A action at Yakima, Kiona-Benton beat Medical Lake 10-4 to end the Cardinals’ season.
Roger Perdue went 3 for 4 for ML.
At DeSales in a Region IV-B game, DeSales ended Wilbur-Creston’s season with a 4-3 win.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo