Rogers Surprises Mead

District 8 4A baseball

Rogers mixed momentum, ball-mashing and a bit of fortune Saturday to reach its highest baseball pinnacle in a generation.

Taylor West pitched a complete game and catcher Mike Kuck had four hits, including the game-winner, to guide Rogers to a 5-4 win over Mead at Seafirst Stadium.

The win eliminated Mead (14-7), which was 2-0 against Rogers this season, and pushed Rogers (14-10) into Tuesday’s District 8 4A championship game against Ferris (16-4).

Rogers qualified for next weekend’s Region IV tournament at Richland. The Pirates haven’t played at the regional since 1978.

The Ferris/Rogers loser will open against Big Nine Conference No. 1 Richland. The winner will play Big Nine No. 2 Kamiakin.

Rogers has outscored three district teams 27-6, not too shocking given that the Pirates led the Greater Spokane League in home runs.

But Rogers has had complete games from West, Cameron Bowers and Thomas Chadderdon at district. And the Pirates started rolling before district, with a pair of wins to tie for fifth place and earn the No. 5 seed to district.

“Some teams sneak in the back door and just get momentum,” said Rogers coach Jim Wasem.

“I’ve been trying to preach to the kids that you have to believe in yourself, and not beat yourself.”

Some luck helps, too. Rogers trailed Mead 4-3 with one out in the top of the seventh when senior Danny Crowley’s grounder handcuffed steady Panthers shortstop Dan Stucky.

West followed with a game-tying triple into the gap in right-center.

“Danny got on first with that good luck and I knew it was on our side,” West said. “My father played baseball and he said if you’re ever in that situation, swing for the fences.”

Stucky nailed West at home on Nick Scott’s two-out fielder’s choice for the second out. But Scott made second base on Dan Thigpen’s wild pitch, and scored on Kuck’s bloop to right.

“I thought for sure that they would catch it,” said Kuck, who also homered in the fourth, his fifth, and singled and scored in the second.

West limited Mead to seven singles. He struck out five and walked eight. He started the season at Rogers’ stopper after working as their ace starter last season.

West pitched a four-hitter against Mead on April 22, but lost 4-0.

“I felt bad for my kids because I really felt they should move on,” said Mead coach Dave Vaughn.

“Our motto has been faith all year,” said Bowers, the GSL’s earned-run average leader.

Bowers struck out four and checked Shadle Park on seven hits in the day’s first game, a 5-1 Pirates win.

Rogers bunched together four hits and one walk to score four runs off Justin Karle in the third.

Kuck had a two-run double in the third and a sacrifice fly in the first.

“One thing we hadn’t had at Rogers was the belief that we could win,” Wasem said. “And for some reason these kids had that. It’s a lot of mind over matter.”

Shadle finished 12-11. The Highlanders were also 2-0 vs. Rogers heading in.

“Rogers got some timely hits and executed well,” said Shadle coach Ron Brooks.