What a performance by the Panthers, who after a 10-1 win over Kentlake are state champs for the first time since 1998.
Aaron West pitched a gem, allowing two hits and one run while striking out 12. He got plenty of help from his defense as well, especially shortstop Max Foster and third baseman Braden Allen who made a bunch of nice plays on groundballs.
Ethan Hargrave and Derek Jones each homered for Snohomish.
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Bottom of sixth
A quick one-two-three inning for Snohomish. Classy move by coach Kim Hammons who pinch hit three seniors to get them an at bat in the state title game
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Top of sixth
It’s a one-two-three sixth inning for Aaron West, who struck out two in the inning and is still looking strong after 103 pitches.
The Panthers are now three outs from a state title.
Bottom of fifth
The Panthers are playing add on now, scoring three more runs in their half of the fifth to make it 10-1.
Derek Jones hit a two-run home run to right in the inning, and Braden Allen added a sac fly that scored Austin Reynolds.
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Top of fifth
Aaron West got two quick outs, then gave up his second hit of the night, a single to Andy Enders, and walked Marcus Evans. West followed that with a strikeout, his seventh of the game, to end the threat.
Still 7-1 as we go to the bottom of the fifth. Snohomish is only six outs away from its first state title in 10 years.
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Bottom of fourth
Snohomish added two more runs, making it 7-1 after four innings. The Panthers led off the inning with sharply hit singles by Braden Allen and Derek Jones, which ended Kenlake starter Doug Christie’s night. Brian Wolfe then singled off of relief pitcher Tyler Walsh to score Allen. Jones was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a ground ball to shortstop, but the Panthers got one more run when Wolfe came in to score on a wild pitch.
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Top of fourth
Kentlake finally got a base runner after Aaron West had retired eight straight, and that runner, Miles Nagel, didn’t have to stop on his way home after hitting a towering home run to left. That was the first hit of the game for Kentlake.
West retired the next three batters in order, two on nice charging plays by shortstop Max Foster.
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Bottom of third
Snohomish’s bats came to life in a big way, and it’s now 5-0 Panthers. Braden Allen got things started with a single, then scored on a triple to center by Brian Wolfe. Tom Chandler followed with an RBI single up the middle through a drawn-in infield, then Travis Cuykendall walked. Designated hitter Ethan Hargrave then came through with the big hit of the game so far, a line-drive three-run homer into the bullpen in left field.
Kentlake right fielder Spencer Baldwin kept things from getting worse with a diving inning-ending catch to rob Bubba Rollins of an RBI single.
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Top of third
Snohomish’s Aaron West once again made quick work of three Kentlake hitters. That’s eight in a row since he walked a batter in the first to load the bases.
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Bottom of second
The Panthers missed out on a great scoring chance, getting runners on second and third with no outs. After a pop out to third, Max Foster was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Kentlake’s Doug Christie escaped the jam thanks to a pair of nice plays. First, shortstop Bobby Joe Tannehill caught a blooper in shallow center, then Chrsitie helped himself out by catching a pop up while running off the back of the mound and falling to the ground.
Still scoreless heading to the third inning.
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Top of second
One inning after struggling to escape unscathed, Aaron West had a nice easy one-two-three second. So far nobody for Kentlake has hit the ball hard off of West.
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Bottom of first
Snohomish center fielder Derek Jones got the first hit of the day, a two-out double, but that was all the Panters could do in the first, keeping the score tied at 0-0.
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Top of first
One night after Derek Jones escaped one jam after another in Snohomish’s semifinal win, Aaron West just did a pretty nice impersonation of his teammate, striking out two batters to get out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam.
It’s 0-0 with Snohomish about to come up for its first at bat.
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Kentlake and Snohomish were scheduled to start the 4A title game at 7 p.m., but we’re pretty far behind schedule here at Safeco Field thanks to a crazy and long 3A championship game, which Kennewick won 24-12 (Kelso coach Scot Meeker joked after the game that he should have gone for two).
This is the second straight trip to the championship game for the Panthers, who lost to Richland in last year’s title game. Snohomish’s only state title came in 1998. Kentlake is playing in it’s first title game.
On the mound for Snohomish will be senior right-hander Aaron West. Kentlake will counter with sophomore righty Doug Christie (and no, I don’t think that’s the former Rainier Beach basketball player who played in the NBA).
Looks like we should be starting in just a few minutes, so check back here for updates throughout the game.
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