Upstarts Arrive In Title Game
1A baseball
Chelan tuned up for the post-season by losing seven of its final eight games.
That’s Chelan, as in State 1A finalist Chelan.
The mitigating factor in Chelan’s mediocre record (13-13 entering today’s title game) has been the health of ace pitcher B.J. Mitchell.
Mitchell (3-1) was the picture of health at Seafirst Stadium on Friday. The senior left-hander pitched a four-hitter, striking out nine, in a 6-4 win over Columbia of White Salmon (19-2) in a State 1A semifinal.
Chelan will play at 8 tonight against another surprising finalist, Friday Harbor. The Wolverines (16-5) scored three times in the seventh inning to edge 1997 state champion Royal 3-2 in the first semifinal.
Royal (20-5) will play Columbia at noon for third and fourth places.
Mitchell injured his pitching arm during his first start of the season, to the second batter he faced. He was out of the Goats’ rotation until the district tournament.
“They think it’s a nerve that rolls off the elbow joint,” Mitchell said of doctors reports. “The last couple of pitches tonight, it kind of flared up a little.”
Chelan lost to defending state champion Brewster 14-2 and 11-3 during the regular season, but defeated the Bears 2-0 last weekend to qualify for state. Rocky Bare pitched that victory and will face Friday Harbor today.
The Goats chased Columbia starter Chris Carlock (8-2) in the first inning. Carlock faced eight batters, allowed five hits and did not register an out. Chelan’s five-run outburst equaled its offensive output during last weekend’s two regional games.
“As soon as I saw (Carlock) warming up on the mound, I said, `You know what? They’re in trouble here. He has the same delivery motion that I do,”’ said Chelan coach Dave Cullen.
Royal’s Will Sutor (8-2) checked Friday Harbor on two hits for six innings. But the Wolverines rallied with Brett Bartmasser’s RBI double and Pat Sandwith’s two-run double, both with one out.
“We’ve done that about four times this year,” Sandwith said of the late rally.
Wolverines sophomore Tyler Williams (13-3) struck out 10 and allowed five hits. Brit Drake’s two-run triple in the fifth was the Knights’ big blow.
Friday Harbor and Chelan were a combined 0-1 in state playoffs entering this season.