PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles boys baseball team went into spring break red-hot with an 8-1 record after beating 3A Peninsula 9-4 Saturday afternoon at Civic Field.
The Roughriders took advantage of a couple of Peninsula miscues, got a huge clutch triple from Josiah Gooding and some equally clutch pitching in the final two innings from Kaleb Mullen to prevent the Seahawks from mounting a comeback.
“We were flat at the end but good in the beginning,” said coach Zac Moore. “We were able to get on base and execute when we did.”
Moore said he was happy where the team is at with an 8-1 record going into a week-long break.
“We have a lot of stuff to work on, but we’re right where we want to be,” he said.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Angeles pitcher Brian Guttormsen throws in the first inning against Peninsula on Saturday at Port Angeles Civic Field.
Gooding came up to the plate with the bases loaded.
“[Catcher] Luke Flodstrom told me to get my foot down early. I just took my swing short to the ball” to hit to right-center, Gooding said.
In addition to his 3-RBI triple, Gooding also turned a great double play on a sharp grounder hit to third baseman Colton Romero.
“[8-1] feels great. This team deserves everything,” Gooding said.
The Riders erupted for five runs in the first inning thanks to some wildness from Peninsula’s pitcher and a critical three-run error.
Alex Angevine and Colton Romero led off by getting hit by pitches. Ezra Townsend laid down a perfect bunt for a single to load the bases. Peninsula’s third baseman Cole Scholer made a pair of great plays, snagging a hard line drive from Mullen and then throwing out Angevine at home on a grounder by Gooding.
The Seahawks’ good luck ran out when Jordan Shumway patiently drew a walk to make it 1-0. Rylan Politika hit a slow grounder to the right side, but Peninsula’s throw to first went wide and three Roughriders came home to score on the error. Politika ended up on third base and Tate Alton hit an RBI single to drive in another run to make it 5-0 as the Riders scored four unearned runs.
The Riders erupted again in the third for four more runs. Alton was hit in the helmet by a pitch, stole second and came in to score on an error on a grounder by Romero. Townsend and Mullen both walked to load the bases and Gooding crushed a ball to deep right-center that went all the way to the fence to clear the bases.
After that big inning, the game settled down as Peninsula’s defense and pitching improved. The Seahawks tried to claw their way back into the game, scoring a run in the fourth, two more in the fifth and another run in the sixth.
In the sixth, the Seahawks had the bases loaded with two out, down 9-4 and threatening to get right back in the game with a big hit, but relief pitcher Mullen got a force-out grounder to second base to end the inning.
Mullen was in trouble again in the seventh as Peninsula got two runners on base with singles and just one out, again threatening to make a game of it. Mullen struck out the final two batters of the game to end it.
Mullen went two innings and struck out three while allowing one earned run. Brian Guttormsen started, going three innings and allowing only one hit while striking out three.
Eight different Riders collected one hit each.
The Riders (4-1, 8-1) return to Civic Field at 1 p.m. Friday to play a nonleague game against Klahowya (3-3). Forks will play the Port Angeles JV at noon Saturday at Civic Field.
Port Angeles 9, Peninsula 4
Pen. 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 — 4 8 1
PA 5 0 4 0 0 0 x — 9 8 2
Pitching
PA — Guttormsen 3 IP, H, 3 K; Politika 2 IP, 3 H, 3 K; Mullen 2 IP, 4 H, ER, 3 K.
Hitting
PA — Gooding 1-4, 3B, 3 RBI, R; Angevine 1-3, SB, HBP; Romero 1-3, 2 R, RBI, HBP; Townsend 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB; Mullen 1-2, R, BB; Politika 1-4, R; Alton 1-2, R, SB, HBP; Shumway 0-2, R, RBI, BB; Flodstrom 1-3, RBI.
