PORT ANGELES — Hayden Woods pitched a gem, getting a rare complete-game shutout on a three-hit, nine strikeout performance as the Port Angeles baseball team beat Bremerton 10-0 to remain a game back of North Kitsap for first place in the Olympic League 2A Division.
Incredibly, it was the Roughriders’ first game in 19 days. Port Angeles had taken a week off for spring break and other games had been rained out. But, the Riders showed little rust from their long layoff, with an efficient offense grinding out runs through four stolen bases and four batters getting on base by getting plunked.
Meanhwile, Woods mowed down Bremerton batters at will all game. He gave up one deep double, two solid singles, a walk and that’s it. Woods threw 65 pitches, 46 of them for strikes (71 percent), striking out nine out of the 19 batters he faced. His Riders’ teammates played errorless ball behind him.
Thanks to Port Angeles’ five-run fourth inning, the game was called after the top of the fifth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
“I just played loose,” Woods said of his pitching performance. ‘I went up there with an approach and hit my spots, I knew I had a defense behind me.”
Coach Karl Myers said Woods has had to wait to show what he could do as a starter, but showed that patience will pay off.
“He did a great job, he’s stayed patient and worked hard. He earned the win, he’s worked hard all year,” Myers said.
At the plate, Brody Merritt and Joel Wood did much of the damage offensively. Merritt was 3 for 3 with four RBIs and a run scored, while Wood was 2 for 2 with two RBIs, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.
Ethan Flodstrom had a long double to center that likely would have been a home run at most parks (Civic Field has no outfield fence because of the boys soccer field that makes up much of center field) and he ended up with an RBI and two runs scored. Gavin Guerrero was 1 for 2 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base.
Overall the team had great balance, with six players getting hits and eight players scoring runs.
With the win, the Riders go to 5-1 in the Olympic League 2A Divison (8-2 0verall), all alone in second place and a game behind first-place North Kitsap.
Myers said he likes where the Riders are right now as a team.
“We’re playing pretty well. We push these kids hard. We demand a lot out of them. This group has bought in to working hard and earning it,” Myers said.
Woods said one secret to the Roughriders’ success is they concentrate on the game in front of them.
“Every game is that game. We only worry about that game, we don’t worry about the next game. The practice that we put in we dump into that game,” Woods said.
Port Angeles is at Olympic (5-3 7-4) at 4:15 p.m. today as the Riders looks to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Trojans back on March 23.
Port Angeles 10, Bremerton 0, 5 innings
Brem 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 3
PA 1 2 2 5 X— 10 9 0
WP: Woods LP: Harmeling
Pitching
Bremerton — Harmeling 4IP, 9H, 10R 4ER, K, BB.
Port Angeles — Woods 5IP, 3H, 0ER, 9K, BB.
Hitting
Bremerton — Farley 1-1, 2B; Isenhart 1-2; Jones 1-2.
Port Angeles — Merritt 3-3, 4RBI, R; Wood 2-2, 2RBI, 2R, BB, SB; Flodstrom 1-2, 2B, RBI, 2R, HBP; Guerrero 1-2, RBI, R, SB; Bowen 1-2, R; Basden 1-1.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
