MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — In its season opener, the Lake Stevens baseball team responded to a five-run Mountlake Terrace rally in the best possible way.
A game-winning five-run rally of its own.
The Vikings scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning — after a similar rally by the Hawks in the bottom of the fifth — and won the nonconference game 10-6 Tuesday afternoon at Mountlake Terrace High School.
“We had an opportunity to kind of roll over and die and the guys battled back,” said Lake Stevens head coach Rodger Anderson.
Christian Gasca tied the score at six with an RBI single to score Peter Ruiz. Then Kevin Lanto — also the game’s winning pitcher — grounded out in a fielder’s choice that also scored the eventual game-winning RBI.
Lanto, who is coming off knee surgery after playing for the Vikings’ football team, usually only pitches an inning at a time. Against the Hawks, he pitched a couple.
“He came through for us,” Anderson said of Lanto (1-0). “He had the win on the mound and the game-winning RBI.”
After Wade Curtis was hit by a pitch, Jake Nelson added a three-run home run to pad the Lake Stevens’ lead.
The Vikings jumped ahead early, thanks to a two-run homer by Alex Koeplin in the first inning. Lake Stevens added two more in the fourth before Terrace scored its six runs over the fourth and fifth innings.
Austin Johnson hit a two-run homer and Josh Fitch (2-for-2) added an RBI for the Hawks.
“We had a nice rally,” said Terrace head coach Andrew Watters. “We took a lead there in the fifth inning. We had it for a moment. But in the end they just had a few more hits and made the bigger plays.
“They’re a very good team and I expect that they’re going to do really well in their league for sure.”
The win was a good sign for the Vikings, who were without two of their top players. Anthony Blackie (illness) and Dylan Lavelle (shoulder injury) both missed the game. Anderson hopes to have them both back soon. He thinks Blackie may be ready to go by Friday but Lavelle might be out for a bit longer. “A couple weeks,” Anderson said. “We hope.”
Even without the two, Lake Stevens still managed to start its season with a big come-from-behind win which, Anderson hopes, helps build his team’s confidence as the Vikings’ season begins.
“We’d already seen one lead get away, and then to have it like that it really gave us a lot of confidence,” Anderson said. “… I think it’s important, especially missing a few starters tonight. It showed that we can get the job done.”
At Mountlake Terrace H.S.
Lake Stevens3002005—1091
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Koeplin, Cho (5), Lanto (6) and Merrill. Hatch, Clausen (4), Barnard (7) and Sorenson, Johnson (4). WP—Lanto (1-0). LP—Clausen (0-1). 2B—Curtis (LS) 1, Ruiz (LS) 1, Haveman (MT) 1, Shevenko (MT) 1, etc. HR—Nelson (LS) 1, Koeplin (LS) 1, Johnson (MT) 1. Records—Lake Stevens 1-0 overall. Mountlake Terrace 0-1.
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