CV’s Edwards boys brothers at heart
Every time Central Valley leads off a baseball game, the Greater Spokane League co-champions throw a pair of Edwards boys at the opposing pitcher.
Jase and Thomas Edwards have similar builds. Their statistics are almost exactly the same – 23 runs for Jase, 22 runs for Thomas; 11 stolen bases for Jase, 10 for Thomas; 11 RBIs for Jase, 10 for Thomas; .351 batting average for Jase, .355 average for Thomas. Both are sophomores, but Thomas hits left-handed which is the only thing a casual observer may notice as different.
However, the two Edwards boys are not brothers or even distant cousins. In fact, they didn’t even like each other until they played on the same team last year.
When people ask if they are brothers, “We like to say yes,” Jase Edwards said. “Then when they say, ‘You said you were brothers,’ we say, ‘No we didn’t.’ We like to mess with them.”
The “brothers” have been messing with opposing pitchers all season long as the Bears (17-3) take on the Richland Bombers (14-10) Friday at 4 p.m. at Central Valley.
The winner of that 4A regional will play at noon Saturday against the winner of the Gonzaga Prep (17-5) vs. Walla Walla (15-7) game, which also starts Friday at 4 p.m. in Walla Walla.
The losing teams from both Friday games will play a loser-out game at 3 p.m. Saturday at Central Valley with three of the four teams advancing to the state playoffs.
Central Valley gets another shot at Richland after beating the Bombers 4-2 last year in the regionals before the Bears eventually lost to University for a chance to advance to the state playoffs.
“We have a couple of (GSL) teams who played Richland in nonleague games. We have a couple games worth of data,” Central Valley coach Mike Amend said. “That’s all we know.”
Central Valley will again rely on the big arms of Connor Grytdal, Conner DeGeest and Jeremy Yelland on the mound, and a pair of sophomore “brothers” at the top of a batting lineup that banged out three wins over co-GSL champion Gonzaga Prep.
“They both have played a lot of baseball,” Amend said of the Edwards boys. “Jase is a tremendous athlete. He started on the football team and was a varsity basketball player.”
As for Thomas? “We use the term ‘dirt bag,’ ” Amend said. “He loves to be dirty and play the game and do all the little things to be successful.”
Amend likes to put the Edwards boys in motion on the base paths to put pressure on the opposing defense.
“It has been fun to see different guys step up on different nights,” Amend said. “We didn’t have a dude … a Jack Machtolf (G-Prep), a Dawson Pate (Lewis and Clark) or a Justin Dolezal (Mead). But, we have no breaks in our lineup.
“A lot of times, pitchers can come up for air,” Amend continued. “But they can’t with our lineup.”
Brotherly un-love
Jase Edwards said he first remembers facing Thomas Edwards in middle school. Both ended up pitching against each other.
“I didn’t like him,” Jase Edward said. “He struck me out one at-bat. He ripped a few shots on me. I just didn’t like him.”
After the matchup, Jase Edwards asked his parents and grandfather if they were related, but everything came back as a resounding no.
Then last year, both players joined the Central Valley freshman team.
“When I saw (Thomas) pitch and swing … I said, ‘I’ve got to get to know this guy better.’ I was completely wrong,” Jase Edwards said. “I liked him.”
Now the “brothers” continue to keep pitchers, and spectators, guessing about what will come next.
“If I get on base, I know Thomas is capable of putting down a bunt or moving me over,” Jase said. “Every time I’ve been on base, he’s done his job.”
As a left-hander, Thomas Edwards can block the catcher’s view to first base.
“I know if the first baseman doesn’t communicate well, I can get a good jump heading for second,” Jase Edwards said.
Thomas Edwards said he likes to mess with pitchers’ minds by sometimes slashing a bunt down after appearing to go for a hit.
“I just want to do whatever it takes,” he said.
3A travels south
Unlike the 4A teams, Mt. Spokane and Shadle Park will play all of their games in the Tri-Cities.
The Wildcats (15-6) play Saturday at 1 p.m. at Kennewick (19-2). At the same time, Shadle Park (12-9) will play Southridge (17-5) in a loser-out game at Pasco High School. The winner of that game will take on the loser of the Mt. Spokane/Kennewick game on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Kennewick High School for the second berth to the State 3A playoffs.
East Valley squared
East Valley travels to play, of course, East Valley (Yakima) (16-7) Saturday at 1 p.m. In the other 2A game, Ephrata travels to Clarkston also Saturday at 1 p.m.
Both games are loser-out contests with the winners advancing to the state playoffs.
1A rematch
Medical Lake will travel to rival Freeman on Saturday at noon. The Cardinals (17-3) split during the regular season with the Scotties (18-3). Both teams will advance to the state playoffs.
Deer Park (12-10) will then take on Lakeside (13-9) in a loser-out game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Freeman with the winner also advancing to the state playoffs.
1B regional at U-Hi
In a regional with games played at University High School on Saturday, Riverside Christian will play Pomeroy in a loser-out game at 9 a.m.
Following that game, Almira/Coulee-Hartline (14-3) will play Liberty Christian in another loser-out game at 11:30 a.m.
The winner of the 9 a.m. game plays the winner of the second game Saturday at 2 p.m. with both advancing to state as the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds.
Then at 4:30 p.m., Colton (19-2) will take on Republic (16-1), again with both teams advancing to state as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds.