Lake Stevens pitcher Trey Nance heads off the mound after getting pulled during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
LAKE STEVENS — The Lake Stevens High School baseball team couldn’t get enough rolling in time to claw back in a Class 4A District 1/2 quarterfinal tilt against Bothell.
After designated hitter Sawyer Wickstrom broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning with a solo home run, the Cougars rode the momentum to take a 6-3 win over the Vikings on Saturday at Lake Stevens High School.
Seventh-seeded Bothell (14-9) will face No. 3 North Creek (18-4) in the semifinals on Tuesday at Bannerwood Park. The second-seeded Vikings (10-9) will play No. 6 Newport (13-9) in a loser-out consolation game at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Inglemoor High School.
“Its one of those things where they ran into baseballs and we didn’t right away,” first-year Lake Stevens coach David Benson said. “It makes it tough when its playoff baseball, and its hard when everybody’s a good team and you have to scratch and claw from behind.”
The Vikings avoided disaster in the top of the first after Bothell loaded up the bases with no outs. Third baseman Bryce Moser fielded a grounder and threw out a Bothell runner at home plate, then Hayden Villasenor completed the double play with a heave to first as Lake Stevens made it out unscathed.
However, Wickstrom’s shot to left field in the third opened up the Cougars’ offense as Bothell slowly built a 6-1 lead heading into the sixth.
Brady Hallen pitched five innings and struck out six with two walks while picking up the win for Bothell, recording four hitless frames before being pulled after allowing two earned runs in the fifth.
Lake Stevens didn’t register a hit on Hallen until the bottom of the fifth, when Caleb Tilford singled. Tilford later scored on an error, making it a 4-1 Cougars lead. Bothell responded in prompt fashion, as Nolan LeDoux nailed the Cougars second solo homer for a 5-1 cushion in the top of the sixth.
Senior Trey Nance, who started on the mound for the Vikings, gave Lake Stevens some life with a two-run homer in the sixth, but the Vikings couldn’t pull off the comeback in the final frame.
“This is a team that’s played in a lot of really close games and meaningful games,” Benson said. “They know what’s at stake. Obviously, our backs are against the wall on Tuesday. … We just have to take care of business on our end.”
Lake Stevens’ Trey Nance deals early in the game during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens catcher Hayden Villasenor lines out during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens first baseman A’Alona DeMartin fields bunt and throws out the runner during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens’ Blake Moser lays down a bunt during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens’ Caleb Tilford takes a secondary lead during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens pitcher Trey Nance deals during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bothell’s starting pitcher Brady Hallen delivers a pitch during a playoff baseball game against Lake Stevens on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens shortstop Aspen Alexander fields a high chopper behind second base during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens’ Manny McLaurin delivers a pitch during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bothell’s dugout goes wild after a Nolan Ledoux homer during a playoff baseball game against Lake Stevens on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bothell’s Nolan Ledoux, left, bumps helmets with teammate Brady Stutz after knocking one out of the park during a playoff baseball game against Lake Stevens on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens’ Blake Moser runs the base path on a grounder during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens’ Trey Nance does himself a favor with a two-run home run during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens’ Julian Wilson runs out of the box on a base knock during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Lake Stevens shortstop Aspen Alexander nearly makes a sliding play in the field during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
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