EVERETT — Inflicting damage with his strong arm and potent bat, Andrew Woeck helped launch his unheralded but talented team back to the state tournament.
Woeck, a diminutive right-handed pitcher, threw his third consecutive shutout and smashed a home run as the Mountlake Terrace High School baseball team drilled state-ranked Marysville-Pilchuck 7-0 Tuesday in a winner-to-state Class 4A District 1 tournament game. Woeck (5-foot-8, 170 pounds) had a no-hitter through 42/3 innings and finished with a two-hitter and 10 strikeouts, including the last pitch of the game when he weaved a changeup and caught M-P hitter Kyle Flanders looking.
It set off a celebration in which Mountlake Terrace players raced to the mound and tackled Woeck, piling onto the senior pitcher one by one.
“What a payoff today. I’m really proud of these kids,” said Terrace coach Andrew Watters, whose team improved to 16-6 and qualified for state for the first time since 2008, and third time since 2006.
“This has been a fun ride this year with these kids,” Watters added, “and I just can’t be more thrilled for the 20 guys we’ve got suited up here today.”
Unranked Mountlake Terrace, the Western Conference South Division No. 2 seed, plays Kamiak in the district championship game 2 p.m. Saturday at Everett Memorial.
Ranked No. 3 in the most recent 4A Washington Baseball Poll, Wesco North co-champion Marysville-Pilchuck couldn’t figure out Woeck (6-3) and lost for just the second time this season. The Tomahawks (18-2) have a chance to earn the district’s third berth to state, but must win two consecutive games to do it. M-P plays a loser-out game against Shorewood (14-9) at 7 p.m. tonight at Everett Memorial.
The hitting stars for Mountlake Terrace were: Woeck,who smashed a homer high over the electronic scoreboard in the fourth that made it 5-0; Austin Johnson, who batted 2-for-3 and scored two runs scored; and Josh Fitch, who was 3-for-4 with a double and four runs batted in.
After having to replace 14 seniors from their strong 2009 team, the Hawks didn’t know if they could get back to state. But they jelled and made it happen.
“We weren’t expecting much at all (this season),” said Woeck, “but we wanted to work hard and we got in here and (saw) what we could do.”
For most of the game, Woeck could do no wrong. Using a tricky mix of peppy fastballs and offspeed pitches, he tallied six strikeouts through 42/3 innings and M-P didn’t get a baserunner beyond second base. Then Dane Widness and Adam Sylvester ended Woeck’s bid for a no-hitter with back-to-back singles. But Woeck got out of the inning with a groundout and struck out four more over the final two innings.
Based on seeds and rankings, Mountlake Terrace pulled off a big upset. But as South teams have shown throughout this tournament, their division is packed with quality squads. The South is “tough and sometimes we don’t get the respect in those rankings because we beat up on each other all year,” Watters said.
Speaking of beating up on someone, the Hawks gleefully swarmed and dove on top of Woeck after the final out. Was coach Watters worried about the safety of his pitcher?
“You hope they don’t get hurt,” Watters said, smiling, “but you know what: Let them enjoy it because they have fought hard all year.”
“It felt good,” Woeck said of the celebration, “other than the face mask under my shoulder.”
At Everett Memorial Stadium
M. Terrace0043000—7101
M-P0000000—020
Woeck and Volpone. Steinbaugh, Thomas (4), Davis (6) and Keister, Flanders (5). WP-Woeck (6-3). LP-Steinbaugh. 2B-Fitch (MT). 3B-Hatch (MT). HR-Woeck (MT). Records-Mountlake Terrace 16-6. Marysville-Pilchuck 18-2.
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
