MOUNT VERNON — Wilder Senior got great pitching all weekend, winning three out of four in a Mount Vernon tournament this weekend.
Wilder Senior had a chance to pull out a victory in the bottom of the seventh Sunday, but a bases-loaded double play ended the threat as Crush Green won 3-2.
On Saturday and Friday, Wilder Senior beat What Post No. 7 6-3 and the Mount Vernon Riverdogs 4-0.
In Sunday’s loss, the trio of Brayden Martin, Braydan White and Kody Williams allowed just five hits. Martin started on the bump, going 5⅔ innings and allowing four hits and two earned runs. He struck out two.
At the plate, Landen Olson had a triple and an RBI, Josiah Gooding a double, Bryant Laboy a double and an RBI and Rylan Politika a double and run scored.
In the bottom of the seventh, down 3-2, Alex Angevine got on base after a dropped third strike. Laboy was hit by a pitch and Ezra Townsend was intentionally walked with one out to set up a force play at every base. The strategy worked as Crush Green was able to get a double play ground ball to end the game.
After this weekend, Wilder Senior’s record is now 6-9.
Saturday, Friday games
Wilder Senior struggled early this season because the team’s bats were quiet, but thanks to the team’s ability to manufacture runs and some spectacular pitching, the seniors are suddenly red-hot, winning three straight Friday and Saturday at the Mount Vernon tournament.
In fact, Wilder Senior has actually won four straight, counting a 3-0 victory Monday over the Kitsap County Rebels.
Wilder Senior won with a 15-0 shutout Friday over Crush Baseball Orange at the Mount Vernon tournament, won 4-0 over the Mount Vernon Riverdogs on Saturday morning, nearly getting a no-hitter from Rylan Politika and won again 6-3 Saturday afternoon over Whatcom Post No. 7, scoring six runs on just three hits.
Counting the Kitsap Rebels game, Wilder Senior pitchers had three straight shutouts and went 22 straight innings without allowing a run. Even in the 6-3 win over Whatcom, all three runs were unearned, so Wilder pitchers have gone 26 straight innings without allowing an earned run.
In the Whatcom game, pitcher Colton Romero was solid as usual, going 6⅔ innings, allowing just three hits, no earned runs and striking out nine. Braydan White got the final out for the save.
Wilder only had the three hits, but the Seniors were helped by 11 extra baserunners on six walks, four hit batsmen and an error. In the first inning, Wilder scored two runs without a hit as White drove in two runners on a fielder’s choice. In the second inning, Bryant Laboy hit a single and Politika drove him in with a double.
In the sixth, Wilder again scored two runs without a hit on four straight walks and a hit batsmen.
In the Saturday morning game, Politika had a no-hitter going for 4⅔ innings when he finally allowed a single. The game ended after five innings as Wilder Sr. had another game in the early afternoon. Politika struck out five and walked two.
Wilder again had just three hits, but scored four runs and that was more than enough. Landen Olson had a hit and an RBI, while Josiah Gooding, coming off a monster game Friday, had a hit, a run scored and a stolen base. Alex Angevine had a hit and Nate Basden walked twice, stole a base and scored a run.
In Friday’s 15-0 victory, the Wilder Senior bats woke up with 12 hits and nine walks in the team’s best offensive output all year. Wilder was led by Gooding’s three doubles. He also scored a run, had an RBI, walked and stole a base.
Ezra Townsend was 2-for-3 with a double and Olson had a triple and two runs scored. Angevine had a hit, scored two runs and drove in two. Basden had a hit and two RBIs.
Ethan Staples went the distance, going six innings and allowing just three hits while striking out nine and walking two.
Crush Green 3, Wilder Sr. 2
CG 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 — 3 5 1
WSr. 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 — 2 5 2
Pitching
Wilder Sr. — Martin 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 K; White H; Williams 1.1 IP.
Hitting
Wilder Sr. — Olson 1-3, 3B, RBI; Politika 1-3, 2B, R; Laboy 1-3, 2B, RBI, SB, HBP; Angevine 1-4, R, SB; Gooding 1-1 2B.
Wilder Sr. 6, Whatcom 3
What. 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 — 3 3 1
WSr. 2 1 0 1 0 1 x — 6 3 1
Pitching
Wilder Sr. — Romero 6.2 IP, 2 H, 9 K; White 0.1 IP.
Hitting
Wilder Sr. — Politika 1-1, 2B, R, RBI, SB, HBP; Angevine 0-2, 2 R, RBI, SB, 2 HPB; White 0-2, HBP, 2 RBI; Flodstrom 1-2, RBI, BB.
Wilder Sr. 4, Mount Vernon 0
WSr. 0 0 1 2 1 x x — 4 3 0
MV 0 0 0 0 0 x x — 0 1 1
Pitching
Wilder Sr. — Politika 5 IP, H, 5 K, 2 BB.
Hitting
Wilder Sr. — Angevine 1-3; Gooding 1-3, R, SB; Olson 1-2, RBI; Basden 0-1, 2 BB, R, SB.
Wilder Sr. 15, Crush Orange 0
Crush 0 0 0 0 0 0 x — 0 3 0
WSr. 5 0 6 3 1 x x — 15 12 0
Pitching
Wilder Sr. — Staples 6 IP, 3 H, 9 K, 2 BB
Hitting
Wilder Sr. — Gooding 3-3, 3 2B, R, RBI, BB, SB; Townsend 2-3, 2B, R; Olson 1-1, 3B, 2 R; Angevine 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB; Basden 1-4, 2 RBI; Shumway 1-4, R, RBI; Dearinger 1-2, R; Williams 1-1, RBI.
