Jordan leads U-Hi to state

There are many ways to win a baseball game, as the University Titans proved during Saturday’s District 8 4A championship at Avista Stadium.

They scored four runs by the bottom two batters in the lineup without benefit of a hit during U-Hi’s 7-2 victory over Mead.

Kyle Barker, batting eighth, and Craig Keeton, in the ninth slot, set the table for the top four batters in the order and the Titans took advantage.

Both players scored during U-Hi’s three-run third and four-run fourth innings, plenty of runs for pitcher Danny Jordan, who hurled the Titans into Saturday’s State 4A round of 16.

“This was our plan all along, to come here and win two in a row,” said first-year head coach Scott Sutherland. “You don’t want to sit around in the sun all day, come back and play another game and a Tuesday pigtail.”

That would be Ferris, which emerged from the day’s other two games to qualify for the pigtail game.

U-Hi trailed the Panthers 1-0 when a seemingly innocent ground ball to short was legged by Connor Moore for an infield single in the bottom of the first inning. He moved up on a wild pitch and ground out and scored on Sean McNaghten’s sacrifice fly.

That’s how it stood until the third when uncharacteristic wildness and errors bit Panthers starter Matt Walsh.

Barker was hit by a pitch and Keeton laid down a sacrifice bunt that was dropped at first base.

A wild pitch and errant pickoff play tied the score. Leadoff hitter Jordan scorched a line drive that handcuffed the center fielder for an RBI double. Jacob Olsufka singled him home.

Mead got a run back on Andy Larson’s stolen base, a passed ball and Moore’s sacrifice fly.

But U-Hi padded its lead in the fourth with four free passes – beginning with one out when Barker walked and Keeton was hit by a pitch – two errors and Billy Moon’s fisted RBI single just into right-center.

“The coaches told us to lay off the high pitches and we’d get on base,” said right fielder Barker, who also made a difficult seventh-inning lunging catch while running to his right at the fence. “I laid off the pitches today. Keeton did the same thing. He laid off the high pitch. We did our job back there.”

Meanwhile Jordan wasn’t overpowering on the mound, but was effective. He struck out just three, but walked only one. For the most part, save for a couple of long doubles, he induced easy grounders and fly balls for outs.

“Danny was the guy we wanted out there,” said Sutherland. “He’s our best competitor and just would not give in against what I feel is the best hitting team in the GSL.”

Jordan said he was just trying to locate and hit his spots with his pitches.

“I kept the ball down so hopefully they wouldn’t get under anything,” he said.

Previously, the junior shortstop-pitcher has been part of two district elimination losses. Last year the Titans reached this very title game, lost to Ferris then lost again to Mead.

At Avista on Saturday, they got the job done.

“We just played solid as a team,” Jordan said. “It’s nice winning two, being done and playing another week. I’m just so happy. We finally get to go to the tournament. It feels really good.”

Ferris 8, Gonzaga Prep 5: The Saxons (14-10) scored four runs in the first and cruised past the Bullpups (10-13) in a loser-out game. Evan Ewing earned the win for Ferris after pitching six innings. The Saxons advanced to play Mead.

Ferris 9, Mead 7: Beau Brett hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh as the Saxons eliminated the Panthers (14-9). Sean McNaghten went 3 for 4 with five RBIs to lead Mead. Bud Kittredge earned the win for Ferris after allowing 10 hits and striking out nine in the complete game. The Saxons advance to play Moses Lake on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Gonzaga Prep for the final berth to the state tourney.