May 10,
2008
Kangs’
Season Ends With Heart-Breaking 10-9 Loss
Ryan Hatfield’s single with the bases loaded plated Kori Brede with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth
inning as Battle Ground scored twice in the final frame to end Lake Washington’s
season, 10-9. The Kangs had fought back
from an 8-4 deficit to tie the game in the seventh and had taken the lead in
the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by senior Chris Hashimoto. However, they could not hold the Tigers in
the bottom half. Following a leadoff
walk and a hit-by-pitch, the Kangs cut down the lead runner on a sacrifice bunt
attempt for the first out of the inning.
Battle Ground first baseman Tracy Chelini, who
was 4-for-4 entering the eighth, followed with a hot shot down the first base
line for a double, tying the game and putting the winning run just 90 feet
away. Following an intentional walk to
load the bases and set up a force at the plate, Hatfield lined a first pitch
curve ball into left field to end the game, and the season for the Kangs.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, LW answered
with four runs in the top of the second inning.
Hashimoto started the scoring with an RBI single to cut the lead to
2-1. The Kangs tied the game on a
botched rundown by the Tigers, with junior third baseman Eric Folkers scoring while fellow junior Blake Lively was caught
in between second and third. Senior
center fielder David Rosser followed three batters later with the first of his
three doubles on the day, driving in 2 to put Lake Washington ahead 4-2.
The game remained there until the fourth, when Battle
Ground finally got to senior starter Curtis Howell. Following three consecutive walks to start
the inning, the Tigers took the lead after a wild pitch and a two-run single by
center fielder Nick Perroni. Battle Ground would add two more RBI doubles
in the six-run frame and jumped ahead 8-4.
Lake Washington scratched across a run in the top of the sixth, with
senior catcher Ryan Neumann’s double scoring junior outfielder Spencer Wozeniak to cut the Tiger lead to 8-5.
The seventh inning had a familiar feel to it, as the Kangs
once again fought back in their last at bat.
Howell started the scoring with a pinch-hit RBI single with one out to
bring LW within two runs at 8-6. Pinch
runner Andy Moore represented the tying run on first base and following a fly
out, advanced to second on a walk to Wozeniak. To the plate strode David Rosser, who had
been a hero many times before this season.
This game was no different, as David wasted no time, driving the first
pitch into the left-center field gap to plate two runs and tie the game at
eight. Ryan Neumann followed and
appeared to give the Kangs the lead off the bat as he lined an
0-2 pitch up the middle. However, the
Battle Ground second baseman had other ideas, snaring Ryan’s line drive on a
full-extension dive to keep the game tied at 8.
LW forced extra innings as Lively
set BG down 1-2-3 in the seventh. As was
the case many times this year in Lake Washington games, the team with the last
at-bat was going to win. The Kangs
showed their mettle once again, but fell just one run short in their bid to
return to the state tournament.
Rosser finished his career with a big day, going 3-4 with
three doubles and four RBI. Hashimoto
drove in 2 runs deserved more, driving the ball in each of his five at-bats but
only coming up with one hit to show for it.
Eric Folkers and Joey Semler
each scored twice for the Kangs, who finished the year at 15-10, winning seven
of their final ten games.
Congratulations go out to the players, who played their heart out all
season and earned everything they got out of the season.