EvCC sweeps twinbill from EdCC in battle of NWAC powerhouses
Published 1:30 am Saturday, April 29, 2017
LYNNWOOD — The North has traditionally been the strongest of the four Northwest Athletic Conference regions in baseball, and this season is no different.
Edmonds Community College is ranked No. 1 in the latest NWAC coaches poll. Everett Community College is ranked third. There’s no doubt that both squads have the talent to make a deep postseason run this spring, but first they’re focusing on winning the North championship.
The Trojans took a big step toward that milestone Saturday by beating the Tritons 6-2 and 8-2 at Triton Field to run their win streak to nine. EvCC owns a four-game lead in the North with a 13-1 mark.
“Our success has a lot to do with our maturity,” said Trojans coach Levi Lacey. “We made a run to the championship last year and returned 60 percent of our roster. We’ve been there before, so we don’t panic in big situations. We play hard and make good baseball decisions.”
EvCC’s solid pitching staff has been crucial to its success. Led by starters Curtis Bafus — who played for the Trojans two years ago before redshirting at Washington State University last season — and Snohomish graduate Ryan Sandifer, the Trojans’ pitching staff has put up some eye-popping numbers. EvCC (27-7 overall) is in the top five in the NWAC in strikeouts, fewest home runs allowed, WHIP and earned-run average.
Entering his Saturday start, Bafus, a Woodinville native, led the NWAC in strikeouts (59 in 51⅓ innings) and sported a 1.92 ERA.
“Our staff is definitely strong all the way through,” said Bafus, who struck out seven and walked three while giving up two runs in nine innings during Saturday’s opener. “We’ve got four good starters, and we’re deep in the bullpen. We’ve got guys that can make pitches and compete.
“My goal is to get better in every start, and lately I’ve been cruising. I’ve got a lot of momentum, and hopefully I can carry it into the last few (regular-season) series and the postseason. I feel good.”
EdCC (10-6 region, 23-8 overall) has been solid in all areas, but the Tritons’ offense has especially excelled. Entering Saturday’s doubleheader, they led the NWAC in home runs, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
“Our offense can do pretty much everything,” said EdCC sophomore shortstop Zach Needham, who came into Saturday’s games leading the NWAC in home runs (eight) and slugging percentage (.731). “We’ve got guys that can run. We barrel up a lot of balls and put up a tough fight against good pitching. We don’t give away a lot of at-bats. Our lineup is strong top to bottom.
“I lifted weights a lot in the offseason, and I feel stronger this year. This is the first season that I’ve been hitting with more power.”
Last week, Needham, a Puyallup native, announced his commitment to continue his career at the University of Houston.
“He’s a tireless worker,” EdCC coach Scott Kelly said. “He’s gaining more confidence, and he’s finally healthy — last year he dealt with one injury after another, and in the fall he dislocated his elbow. He’s a switch-hitter, but he’s fairly balanced — his average is higher from the left side, but he’s hit more home runs from the right side.”
In Saturday’s opener, the Trojans scored four runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 2-2 tie, with the key hit coming from sophomore Jacob Prater, who cracked a two-run home run.
Jaden Yackley’s two-run homer keyed a three-run fifth inning for EvCC in the nightcap, and the Trojans tallied four more runs in the eighth frame to back a strong start from Sandifer, who scattered eight base-runners and struck out three while giving up two runs in seven innings.
The teams will play another twinbill Sunday at Skagit Valley College. The games are home contests for EvCC, but the Trojans have yet to play or practice on their home field this spring due to a drainage problem.
