Glacier Peak’s Cole Walchenbach raises the 3A District 1 championship trophy Monday night at Everett Memorial Stadium after the Grizzlies defeated Lynnwood 5-4 in eight innings.

Glacier Peak’s Cole Walchenbach raises the 3A District 1 championship trophy Monday night at Everett Memorial Stadium after the Grizzlies defeated Lynnwood 5-4 in eight innings.

Glacier Peak beats Lynnwood 5-4 in 8 to win 3A District 1 title

EVERETT — It was as though the two-day delay between when the Class 3A District 1 championship game was scheduled and when it was contested allowed the nerves to germinate.

The Glacier Peak and Lynnwood baseball teams combined for five errors and eight runs in the first two innings. But from then on the game was scoreless until Geoff Rogers produced an eighth-inning RBI single up the middle through the drawn-in Lynnwood infield to give the Grizzlies the 5-4 victory and the district championship at Everett Memorial Stadium.

“I was just trying to put it in play for my team and get the win,” said Rogers, whose walk-off single with nobody out drove in Devin Kamihara with the game-winning run.

Glacier Peak (16-7) will play in a Class 3A first-round state tournament game at 1 p.m. next Saturday against Lakeside at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon. Lynnwood (15-8) takes on Central Kitsap at Rister Stadium in Kelso at 1 p.m.

The Grizzlies added a district title to the regular-season Wesco title they won this season. Glacier Peak has made the regional round three times in school’s relatively brief existence, but has yet to advance past the two-game weekend.

Thus the Grizzlies have loftier goals than simply qualifying for the state tournament.

“We’ve got a couple of check spots on our to-do list,” said head coach Bob Blair. “You’re down to the best 16 teams and that’s what I told them. You can’t show up half ready to go. You better be ready to go from the first pitch.”

Glacier Peak did not look ready at the start of Monday’s game. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out against Grizzlies starter Sam Wyatt. Lynnwood’s David Cooper drove in two with an RBI single. Another run came home on a wild pitch and Cooper scored on a sacrifice fly by Rome Boyer for the 4-0 advantage.

Of course, when all that happens in the first inning a team has seven innings remaining to make up the deficit.

“We knew Sam was going to settle down and we had Cole (Walchenbach) coming in (for relief), and we knew if we just picked away we’d be fine,” Blair said. “We’ve done that several times through the course of the season where we’ve gotten down early and battled back.”

The Grizzlies got all four back in the bottom of the second. Lynnwood committed three errors in the inning and Glacier Peak’s Ethan Smith delivered the big blow with a two-out, three-run triple that tied the score at 4-4.

“Every single game this year we always seem to be behind in the beginning and we just seem to clutch up,” Rogers said. “After we scored those four runs I think we all knew we were going to win the game.”

However, the Grizzlies took their time as the game settled into a rut of stranded runners and impressive pitching performances.

Lynnwood’s best chance came in the top of the fifth when the Royals loaded the bases with no outs. Boyer connected for a one-out sac fly to drive in Brice Foster. However, Glacier Peak appealed and the umpire ruled Foster had left early and called him out to keep the game tied at 4-4.

Glacier Peak had runners at the corners with no one out in the fourth, and loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but came up empty both times.

Kamihara led off the bottom of the eighth with a triple to straight-away center field and set up Rogers’ game-winning hit.

Rogers finished 4-for-4 including his first career bunt single in the sixth.

“I’ve never bunted for a base hit in my life, but it was a good time to do it,” he said. “I was really trying to sacrifice myself to help the team, but it’s a win-win when I get on base.”

Walchenbach, a southpaw, earned the win with four innings of scoreless relief. He struck out four while allowing three hits and two walks.

Lynnwood starter Foster worked all seven-plus innings and scattered nine hits. He walked one and struck out four. Just two of the five runs he allowed were earned.

At Everett Memorial Stadium

WP: Cole Walchenbach. LP: Brice Foster. Individual Highlights: Glacier Peak—Ethan Smith (3B, 3 RBI), Devin Kamihara (2-3, 3B, run), Geoff Rogers (4-4, RBI). Lynnwood—Kyler McMahan (1-3, run), Brady Girgus (1-2, run), David Cooper (1-for-4, 2 RBI). Records—Lynnwood 15-8, Glacier Peak 16-7.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

X
Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for March 8-17

The Athlete of the Week nominees for March 8-17. Voting closes at… Continue reading

X
Silvertips’ playoff picture coming together as season hits final week

Everett is officially the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed and is likely heading into a matchup with Kelowna or Vancouver.

Los Angeles Rams offensive guard Tremayne Anchrum (72) against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Seahawks add to position of need, sign guard Tremayne Anchrum Jr.

The 25-year-old has played in 31 games, starting once, since being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2020.

Everett Community College head coach Chet Hovde watches as the women's team practices on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 in Everett, Wa. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
EvCC coach Chet Hovde, who ‘lived for’ basketball, dies at 77

Coach Hovde graduated from Everett High School in 1965. He spent 33 years as the women’s basketball coach at the community college.

Jackson’s Ian Friedrichsen celebrates his goal with his teammates during the game against Bothell on Thursday, May 11, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep boys soccer: 5 things to watch for the 2024 season in Snohomish County

A look at the top local storylines for this high school boys soccer season

Jackson’s Rachel Sysum is hugged by Leneyah Mitchell after hitting a home run during the game against Bothell on Friday, May 19, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep softball: 5 things to watch for the 2024 season in Snohomish County

A look at the top local storylines to keep an eye on this high school softball season.

X
Prep roundup for Friday, March 15

Prep roundup for Friday, March 15: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Glacier Peak’s Samantha Christensen runs to home plate to celebrate her home run with her teammates during the game against Snohomish on Friday, March 15, 2024 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
GALLERY: Glacier Peak softball tops rival Snohomish

The Grizzlies prevail 9-5 in a clash of area powers.

X
Prep roundup for Thursday, March 14

Prep roundup for Thursday, March 14: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

The Washington Wolfpack logo is revealed during the Everett AFL team unveiling at Tony V's Garage in Everett, Washington onThursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Everett’s new arena football team to have 4 televised games

The NFL Network will broadcast 30 AFL games this season, including two Wolfpack home games.

Washington coach Mike Hopkins yells to the team during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against California, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, in Seattle. California won 82-80. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Looking back at Mike Hopkins’ turbulent tenure as UW men’s basketball coach

The departing Huskies coach had highs early, but the good times didn’t last long.

X
Prep roundup for Saturday, March 16

Prep roundup for Saturday, March 16: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.