MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Ryan Sells and the Mountlake Terrace baseball team took full advantage of a break in the area’s recent string of bad weather.
Sells took command on the mound and the Hawks beat Kamiak 7-2 in a Western Conference South Division game on a brisk Friday afternoon at Mountlake Terrace High School.
Kamiak (4-1 overall, 3-1 league) touched Sells early for two runs in the first inning. The Knights manufactured the runs with four singles. Taylor Drury and Andrew Lauletta each produced an RBI.
But Sells, a right-hander, calmed down and retained command of the strike zone to hold the Knights scoreless after the first inning.
“Ryan Sells pitched a great game,” Mountlake Terrace head coach Andrew Watters said. “Holding Kamiak to two runs was a really good accomplishment.”
The Hawks (5-1, 3-1) played staunch defense in support of Sells.
“We’ve had a solid defensive effort,” Watters said. “That was the side of the ball where we won the game today.”
Sells pitched six innings and threw 84 pitches. He struck out eight and yielded just two runs on five hits. Kyle Barisic pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Hawks.
“I was feeling good,” Sells said of his presence on the mound. The pitcher added that his curveball was very effective against the Kamiak hitters.
“That was my out pitch today,” Sells said.
Watters decided to pull Sells after six innings to preserve his health.
“That’s the furthest he’s been extended this year,” Watters said. “(Pulling Sells) was an opportunity to protect him. I think it was an opportunity for Kyle (Barisic) to get himself going, too.”
After falling behind by two runs, the Hawks quickly struck back for three runs (two earned) in the bottom of the second inning.
Derek Giles doubled in a run and Andrew Woeck drove in Jaykob Sells with an RBI-ground out.
Kamiak left-handed starter Jake Bennett was able to contain the Hawks bats for the next couple innings before he was hit hard in the fifth inning.
Jaykob Sells singled to deep left field to score Karsten Strieby and Damon Netz followed with a two-run, line-drive single to left-center field. Bennett was pulled after throwing 99 pitches in 41/3 innings.
Andrew Woeck finished off the Terrace scoring with a sacrifice fly.
“A strength of our team so far is that we’ve done really well in the bottom of the order,” Watters said.
Woeck led the Hawks with two RBI. Giles, Jaykob Sells and Netz each added one RBI (Mountlake Terrace had two unearned runs).
Terrace, picked No. 1 (Wesco South) in The Herald’s coaches’ poll, suffered its first loss on March 31, a 7-5 setback to Shorewood. The Hawks gave Kamiak its first loss of the season.
“It was a big win for us,” Watters said. “This was a real good game to come back on.”
At Mountlake Terrace H.S.
Kamiak2000000—253
Terrace030040x—770
Bennett, Pennock (5) and Houghtaling. R. Sells, Barisic (7) and Clingan. WP—R. Sells. LP—Bennett. 2B—Shafer (MT), Giles (MT). Records—Kamiak 3-1 league, 4-1 overall. Mountlake Terrace 3-1, 5-1.
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