EvCC battles Skagit in regional baseball playoff game

By Chris Trujillo

Herald Writer

EVERETT – From Day One, Levi Lacey, Everett Community College’s first-year baseball coach, has been selling one thing or another.

At first it was humility, which seemed appropriate considering he was about to lead a team of 18 freshmen and five sophomores into a league it hadn’t competed in since the early 1980s.

And then, after shrugging off a disappointing first month of play followed by a string of impressive victories, he began selling optimism.

Now, some 30 games later, the self-assured coach is selling the ultimate confidence builder: postseason success.

After starting the season 1-8 in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges North Division, the Trojans went on to win 13 conference games and lose eight and clinched a regional playoff berth.

Today, they’ll start their postseason journey with a loser-out game against Skagit Valley College at 11a.m. at Edmonds Community College.

“I had to get my guys to buy into the fact that they have the ability to compete against these other teams,” Lacey said. “They’ve bought into that, and did so a while ago when we got going. They know that they can play with anyone.”

A victory in the North Division regional playoff game would pit the Trojans against second-place EdCC, also today. The winner of that 1:30 p.m game advances to the NWAACC playoffs for a first-round game against the South Division’s No. 1 team, Mount Hood (31-9), next week at Lower Columbia Community College.

“When we play defense, I know we can win ball games,” said Lacey, whose team ranks 12th in team pitching in the 25-team NWAACC league.

“Our pitching gives us a chance every night. They keep us in ball games. Everyone knows that good team defense and pitching wins ball games.”

So far, the Trojans’ defense – combined with a healthy offensive output – has helped EvCC dominate Skagit Valley during the season. EvCC has beaten Skagit in four out of five regular season games while outscoring SVC 29-13.

Sophomore pitcher Nathan Beachy, who played at Arlington High School, has been on the winning side of two of those victories. With 27 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched this season, Beachy earned wins in 3-1 and 12-4 triumphs over Skagit. Jess LaCasse, a 6-foot-4 freshmen from Shorecrest High School, gave up eight hits in a 7-2 victory over SVC in the teams’ second to last meeting.

“Nathan (Beachy) has been doing a great job all year,” Lacey said. “He’s been throwing lights out. And Jess (LaCasse) has picked it up these past few weeks. He’s starting to be the guy we thought he could be. They’re both freshmen and they’ll be back next season, so we are hopeful.”

EdCC’s Ditter a hot hitter: Going into Friday’s doubleheader against Everett, Edmonds redshirt freshman shortstop Brad Ditter led the Tritons, who ranked ninth in the league in team batting, with a .451 batting average, 27 runs scored and 22 RBI. That was good for third best in the NWAACC. Clary Carlsen (5-2) led the Tritons on the mound with a 1.46 earned run average in 41 innings pitched. He’s also had 36 strikeouts.

EvCC softball season ends on sour note: The Trojans lost four consecutive games to end the season with a 9-23 league record. However, the losses came at the hands of the North Division’s two best teams: Green River (26-6) and Highline CC (28-4). Granite Falls High School alum and sophomore Jamie Dicey finished the season with a team-leading .362 batting average to go with 25 RBI. Freshman Ame Elliott, who played at Arlington High School, followed with a .350 batting average and 17 RBI. Elliott also led the team from the mound, finishing with a 3.39 ERA and 63 strikeouts.