WIAA baseball regional rewind: 4 playoff games you shouldn't have missed
Tickets were punched to Yakima, Pasco and Ridgefield Saturday during the WIAA high school regional playoff baseball regional round in three years.
The semifinals and finals take place May 27-28 with 4A and 3A at Gesa Stadium, 2A and 3A at County Stadium in Yakima and 1B and 2B at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex in Ridgefield.
SBLive reported from games statewide. Find links to extensive coverage below. Here is a closer look at four more games you should not have missed:
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CLASS 4A: PUYALLUP 5, EASTLAKE 1
If you don’t know by now, you should about this Vikings’ program.
Better get them early, because they usually come through late.
The past two times Puyallup has advanced to the final four, it has won the Class 4A title (2014, 2017). The Vikings will be moving on to Pasco about an impressive day at Heritage Recreation Center.
After ace right-hander Adam Brooks threw a complete-game shutout in the Vikings’ 6-0 victory over Bothell in the morning game, Brett Ellingson and Hunter Grasser took care of the Wolves.
Of course, it helped that the offense jumped out in both games.“I thought we barreled up balls all game long against Eastlake,” Puyallup coach Marc Wiese said.
Puyallup jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against the Wolves, and rode the Ellingson-Grasser duo to a win.
“Ellingson might have the best stuff on our team,” said Wiese of the Seattle University signee. “And with Hunter, who’s been our third guy, he is now up to 86 mph and doesn’t walk anybody. I want the ball in his hands.”
The Vikings now will play their third consecutive 4A KingCo team in the state playoffs next Friday in Pasco - 14th-seeded Skyline.
“We are fortunate enough to be in the final four, and we will go out and compete - just like we do every game,” Wiese said.
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CLASS 4A: RICHLAND 2, MOSES LAKE 0
Over the past three decades, no team has won more Class 4A baseball titles than the Bombers.
And they are ready to add to that haul.
Joey Pearson threw a complete-game no-hitter, and the five-time state champions made an early gamble pay off in avenging a 2019 regional-round loss to the Chiefs, who went on to win the state title.
“No doubt he was going to give us a chance to win today,” Richland coach Grant Richardson said.
The Bombers gave Pearson an early run on a safety squeeze play in the fourth inning. Outfielder Deacon Boyce got the bunt down, and Ethan Ammerman scored on the play to give Richland a 1-0 lead.
And that is the way the game stood until the sixth inning when pinch hitter Austin Harmon delivered a run-scoring single to make it 2-0.
The Bombers are now in the state semifinals for the first time since 2018 - the last of their five state titles since 1999.“I don’t think there’s the pressure as much as there is the expectation,” Richardson said.
“The guys know. We’ve got the championship banners hanging up in left field, so they see it every day.“They want to put their mark on history.”
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CLASS 3A: MT. SPOKANE 5, LAKE WASHINGTON 4
Lake Washington has won 2 of the last 4 Class 3A state titles.
The 2019 champs won't get the chance to repeat next weekend.
10-seeded Mt. Spokane beat the Kangs inn comeback fashion to book a semifinal date with.
"The last inning was dicey, but we held on," Schuerman said. "Gave up a single and consecutive walks to load the bases."
But pitching got the Wildcats through. Carson Coffield spelled starter Tyler Alm and pitched two scoreless innings to close the game and secure a school record seventh save of the season.
The Wildcats led 3-0 until the Kangs unleashed a four-run third inning to take a 4-3 lead.
In the opening round, Mt. Spokane beat Lynwood 11-1, fueled by a three-run double that turned a six-run sixth inning to go up 11-0.
Outside of being swept by University, the Wildcats (22-5) lost to formidable Mid-Columbia Conference teams — Kamiakin, Richland and Kennewick — still alive in the playoffs.
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CLASS 2A: W.F. WEST 7, WHITE RIVER 6
The Bearcats (18-7) beat Anacortes 14-2 before winning a nail-biter with 16-seed White River, which had just taken down 1-seed North Kitsap in the morning.
"Everything on the line, that’s how regional baseball works," W.F. West coach Bryan Bullock said. "Everyone contributed"
Now, eight-seeded W.F. West is right where it feels it belongs — in a final four with three of those teams (Tumwater, Columbia River) from District 4.
They last reached the state semifinals in 2018, the title in 2017 and won a championship last in 2013.
"It feels great," W.F. West coach Bryan Bullock said. "It’s weird with the COVID shutdown season, not having a state tournament last year. Our program feels like a top 4 contender every year and this group of kids has been overlooked … our kids, it makes them feel they deserve to be there."
Now, they want another shot at Tumwater. The T-Birds have won all three previous matchups this year 6-2, 8-0 and 7-1.
MORE SPRING POSTSEASON COVERAGE
Live brackets: 2022 WIAA 2A State Baseball Championships
Washington state high school baseball regional round live scoreboard, updates
Was this the single-greatest performance in a Washington high school softball game ever?
Walk-off lifts Ephrata over Fife in 2A Washington high school baseball playoffs
Auburn rides walk-off single past Bishop Blanchet in WIAA Class 3A state baseball playoffs (photos)
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--Andy Buhler; @AndyBuhler.
--Todd Milles; @ManyHatsMilles.
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All photos were taken by Vince Miller (@vmillerphoto)
