May 7,
2007
Kangs
Season Ends With 9-7 Loss to Ballard
Lake Washington finishes its season with a
record of 15-6.
The Ballard Beavers scored three runs in the
top of the seventh inning to erase a 7-6 deficit and end the Kangs season in
the first round of the KingCo playoffs, 9-7.
Ballard jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first on four hits and a couple
Kang errors. Lake Washington scored a
single run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by senior Josh
Rosser. The Beavers answered in the
second, taking advantage of another LW mistake as a collision in right field
allowed another run to score, bringing Ballard's lead to 6-1.
The Kangs stormed back in the third inning
behind some small ball and clutch hitting.
After the first two hitters reached base, senior Nick Pizzuto beat out a bunt to load the bases. Rosser followed with his second big hit of
the day, this time driving in two runs with a single to right-center field,
cutting the lead to 6-3. After senior
Kirby Young's sacrifice bunt, senior Hilton Richardson followed with a squeeze bunt
with Pizzuto sliding in safely under the tag of
Ballard catcher David Ringold. Richardson reached base on the play that cut
the Beaver lead to just 2 runs. After a Richardson stolen base and a hit by
pitch to load the bases, junior right fielder Joey Semler
singled through a drawn-in infield, scoring courtesy runner David Eng and
Richardson to knot the game at 6.
Neither team threatened to score until the
bottom of the sixth inning. Kang senior
second baseman Nate Sadler doubled to left-field with one out and junior David
Rosser followed with a walk. Nick Pizzuto was robbed of a hit by Ballard second baseman Dylan
Murphy, moving the runners to second and third.
After Josh Rosser was intentionally walked, Kirby Young drove a 3-1
pitch into the six-hole, scoring Sadler with the tie breaking run. David Rosser was cut down at the plate by a
strong throw from Ballard left fielder Zack Complita,
but the Kangs entered the final frame with a 7-6 lead.
Ballard came out swinging the bats in the
seventh. The first three pitches by Kang
senior closer Evan Wilson were put in play, with runners on second and third
and one out the result. Ballard
designated hitter Shawn Oughton came through with the
big hit - a line drive single to left-center field, scoring both Beaver runners
and putting them back on top, 8-7.
Ballard added another run on a third Kang error and sophomore pitcher Nico Van der Ven
struck out the side in the seventh to give Ballard the dramatic win.
The loss ended another great season for Lake Washington,
who finished the year at 15-6. It was a
bitter ending for the twelve Kang seniors, who were hoping to help the Kangs to
their fourth consecutive state tournament appearance. Nonetheless, the seniors should leave the
program with their heads held high.
During their three years in the baseball program, Lake Washington won a
KingCo 4A best 42 games (final record of 42-10) and won the school's first
KingCo championship since 1984, taking the 2005 crown. While the season ended too soon in the minds
of all Kang players, fans and coaches, the accomplishments of this group will
never be forgotten.
For an up-to-date
KingCo tournament bracket, click on the KingCo playoff link on the left hand
side of the page.