Lakeside, Naches line up
Matt Sullivan is seldom at a loss for words, whose discourse when the subject is baseball often ranges wide.
He first addressed his Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) Eagles’ chances when discussing Friday’s upcoming State 1A semifinal game against Naches Valley in Wenatchee.
“I think Naches has a really tough, nice ball club,” he said. “I saw them when they played Pullman and they have a lot of guys back.”
That includes two good pitchers and guys who hit well, he said.
From there the subject shifted a bit, to last week’s regional games, to seasons past and, finally, to the state baseball concept that this year pitted East against East and West against West in the 16-team regional brackets.
“How do we know the best two teams aren’t from the East side, or the two best aren’t from the West side?” Sullivan asked.
He may have a point. Naches Valley has lost once this year and during the regular season outscored its opposition 241-19.
Lakeside has also lost once this year with a 197-68 scoring advantage, raising speculation the two eastern Washington 1A teams might be the best in state.
The Rangers struggled in their first playoff game, getting past defending champion Brewster 8-6 before winning by shutout to move opposite Lakeside.
The Eagles (23-1) needed eight innings to beat Kiona-Benton 10-7, before dispatching Chewelah 5-1 to avenge their only loss.
Friday’s game with be the third between Lakeside and Naches Valley. The first two were decided by one run. Lakeside lost 2-1 in eight innings back in 1999 and rallied from a 12-0 deficit the next year to win 14-13.
“In order to get into the championship (on Saturday), I kinda think it will be knock-down, drag-out,” Sullivan said. “I think we will be right there if we play well. If either one of us doesn’t bring its “A” game, they’ll struggle.”
Anthony Froemke, who is 9-1 on the mound and was a game saver in the outfield during Lakeside’s regional championship, gets the start.
“It will be a fun tournament,” Sullivan said. “All along I felt we had the horses, now can we do it. We knew we’d have to play either Naches or Brewster in order to win it. We got our wish.”
1B: Could Bi-County champion Odessa and Panorama 1B winner Northport be headed for a rematch?
They met in the District 7 championship last week, with Northport winning 4-2. Now both are in the state semifinals in Yakima and one win apiece away from a second meeting, this one for the state title.