SNOHOMISH — In a game where flurries of walks and wild pitches framed what was otherwise a closely matched pitching duel, left-handed sophomore Cormick Rizzo’s solid 51/3 innings of relief kept Snohomish in it until Stanwood’s Tyler Givens blinked.
With the help of a grand slam home run from Russell Crippen, the Panthers came from behind to take the Wesco North game from Stanwood 8-6 and Rizzo earned the first win of his career Tuesday.
It was walking too many batters that lost the game for Stanwood, but it was walks by Snohomish that gave Rizzo the chance at the win in the first place. Casey Flitsch started for the Panthers and walked three of the first four batters, gave up three hits, three runs, and couldn’t finish the inning. Rizzo worked out of a bases loaded jam to limit the damage, but would play from behind until the sixth.
Stanwood scored a run in the top of the sixth to go up 4-1 and Givens struck out the first Panther he faced. Then the wheels came off. Givens walked the bases full, walked in a run and was pulled. The next batter Russell Crippen sent a ball from reliever Chad Larson into the tennis courts, clearing the bases.
It didn’t end there. Larson gave up another hit, the Spartans committed an error and Larson threw two wild pitches in a row and the Panthers had a sac fly. The total damage: another two runs, making it 8-4.
Stanwood attempted to rally in the seventh, scoring two and chasing Rizzo, but Douglas Gove came in with one out and the bases loaded and struck out the two men he faced for his first save of the season.
“It was just one of those wild high school games,” said Snohomish head coach Kim Hammons. “Rizzo came in and just pitched a gem of a ball game. … He needed relief in the wild seventh, but he really shut the door.” Of that relief, Hammons said: “Gove did a phenomenal job coming in in relief in that situation to help the Panthers get the win.”
At Snohomish H.S.
Stanwood3000012—652
Snohomish010007x—863
Tyler Givens, Chad Larson (6) and Austin Lindell. Casey Flitsch, Cormick Rizzo (1), Joshua Baird (7) Douglas Gove (7) and Ben Johnston. WP—Rizzo (1-1). LP—Givens. HR—Russell Crippen (Sn) 1. Records—Stanwood 2-7 league, 4-8 overall. Snohomish 6-3, 8-6.
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