Snohomish outlasts Marysville-Pilchuck 7-5
Published 11:23 pm Saturday, May 16, 2009
EVERETT — Watch out. The defending state champs are on a roll again.
Seeded fourth in their division, the Snohomish Panthers completed an impressive Class 4A District 1 baseball tournament Saturday by knocking off the state-ranked Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks. Sparked by leadoff hitter Bryant Robbins (4-for-5, two doubles), Snohomish topped M-P 7-5 in eight innings and snared its second district crown in three years.
Robbins scored what turned out to be the deciding run in the top of the eighth inning on Brian Wolfe’s line-drive single. Wolfe drove in two runs and pitched the first 62/3 innings before being relieved by Braden Allen (7-1), who tossed the final 11/3 innings and earned his second victory in five days.
Snohomish — which won the 4A state title last year and was the 2007 runnerup — struggled at times this season and fought just to get into the playoffs. But the Panthers (17-6) went 3-0 in the district tournament, beating Western Conference South Division No. 1 seed Shorewood, South No. 3 seed Kamiak (15-8) and North No. 1 seed M-P (19-4).
M-P, which scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie it, is ranked No. 3 in 4A by Washington Baseball Poll. The Tomahawks were 2-0 against Snohomish during the regular season, but Snohomish persevered Saturday after blowing a 5-2 lead with two outs in the seventh.
“It feels so good,” Snohomish’s Allen said. “But we’ve got a big target on our back right now. We’ve got to work hard this week in practice and come out ready to play next weekend.”
As the District 1 No. 1 seed, Snohomish hosts the District 3 No. 5 seed Saturday at Everett Memorial Stadium. The Panthers are excited to return to a field that’s like a second home, Allen said.
M-P, the District 1 No. 2 seed, plays the District 3 No. 1 seed Saturday at Heidelberg Park in Tacoma. Austin Denton and Tyler Holm drove in two runs apiece for M-P. Denton blasted a two-run home run in the fourth, cutting Snohomish’s lead to 5-2. Holm’s two-run single with two outs and two strikes tied it at 5-5 in the seventh.
Robbins led off the eighth inning with his second double. After Allen popped out, Wolfe drilled a single — his first hit of the game — up the middle. Robbins scored on a head-first slide, giving Snohomish a 6-5 edge. Wolfe later scored on a wild pitch.
Headed to state for the fourth straight year, Snohomish’s senior class is battle-tested and excited to defend its 4A title. The Panthers were up and down this spring but woke up in time to prolong their season.
“We believed we were the best team,” Wolfe said, “and we just kind of slumped in the middle of the season because we won state last year and almost got satisfied and got lazy. But once playoffs started we knew we were going to (play well).”
Snohomish missed numerous opportunities Saturday. It stranded 11 baserunners, didn’t fully take advantage of four M-P errors and committed a baserunning mistake that helped M-P turn a triple play. But the Panthers have the tools to chase another first-place state trophy.
“We have the nucleus to battle and play with anybody,” Snohomish coach Kim Hammons said. “We have the veteran leadership to get back there. We’ve just got to combine good pitching with clutch hitting and playing smart to have a chance next weekend.”
At Everett Memorial Stadium
Snohomish00050002—7111
M-P00020030—574
Wolfe, Allen (7) and Godfrey. Cooper, Thomas (5), Steinbaugh (8) and Keister. WP-Allen (7-1). LP-Thomas. 2B-Robbins (S) 2, Mullins (S), Foster (S), Estella (M-P). HR-Denton (M-P). Records-Snohomish 17-6. Marysville-Pilchuck 19-4.
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.
