Wenatchee Wins In Ninth, Takes On Kelso For Title Late-Inning Clutch Hits Break Ties As Panthers, Hilanders Claims Semis

Chris Thorson singled to score Colin Hill in the top of the ninth inning as the Wenatchee Panthers beat the Kentwood Conquerors 6-4 Friday night at Seafirst Stadium to advance to the State AAA baseball championship game.

Wenatchee will play the Kelso Hilanders, an 11-9 winner over the Newport Knights, in today’s title game at 2 p.m. Kentwood and Newport will play in the consolation game at 11 a.m.

Friday night, Thorson blooped a one-out pitch over the second baseman’s head to score the go-ahead run. Thorson then gave Wenatchee an insurance run by scoring on a single by Ross Mitchell.

“I just fought it off,” Thorson said. “I knew we only needed a base hit.”

Wenatchee jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning after starting pitcher Chris Zorich gave up three walks and three singles without getting an out. Zorich was relieved by Mark Percosky, who retired the next three batters.

Kentwood cut the lead to 3-1 when Ryan Peterson scored on a wild pitch in the second inning.

The Conquerors then tied the game in the fifth on a error by Wenatchee catcher Colin Hill and a fielder’s choice. The Panthers had three chances to end the inning before Kentwood scored, but a trio of errors kept the Conquerors alive.

Kentwood scored again in the sixth when winning pitcher Justin Fairbanks walked Phil Wendler with the bases loaded. In the seventh, Wenatchee sent the game into extra innings when Jeremy Sandnes walked with the bases loaded.

That set the stage for Thorson’s heroics.

“This game is our season in a nutshell because this team has done that all year,” Wenatchee coach Ed Knaggs said. “These kids deserve a lot of credit.”

In the opener, Kelso broke a 6-6 tie in the sixth inning when Jason Wilfong’s triple beat number one-ranked Newport.

After scoring three times in the top half of the first inning, Kelso fell behind 4-3 after committing two errors and giving up three hits in the bottom half.

Newport extended its lead to 6-3 in the second inning behind a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice single by Burke Eathorne that scored Mike Wirrick.

Marty Sewell then evened the game with a 350 foot, three-run homer over the left field wall that tied the game at six. That set up Wilfong’s game-winner.

“Sewell’s home run was definitely the turning point for us,” Wilfong said. “It got us pumped up.

Newport pulled within one run in the bottom of sixth, but the Hilanders scored three in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Relief pitcher Shane Dyer received the win while Wirrick took the loss despite striking out seven.

Kelso’s Brian Graham led all hitters, going 3-4, with three stolen bases and three RBIs.

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