Opponent: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Pitchers: Everett left-hander Robert Rohrbaugh (0-1, 4.15 earned-run average) vs. S-K right-hander Kellen Ludwig (1-1, 4.70)
Happy to be home
Baseball has carried Chris Todd from coast to coast. At the same time, it’s kept him away from much of his family and friends.
But this weekend, for the first time in about six months, Todd has had a chance to reconnect with parents, siblings and close high school friends.
Todd is a first-year infielder for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, who complete a three-game Northwest League series today at Everett. He is a 2001 graduate of Shorewood High School, where he helped lead the Thunderbirds to a third-place finish at the Class 4A state tournament.
Todd said he still stays in touch with Wyatt Tonkin, his coach at Shorewood. Tonkin was part coach, part father figure, Todd said, and had a very positive impact on the youngster.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better coach,” Todd said. “He’s just a great guy. … He loves baseball. That’s what he lives for.”
The San Francisco Giants selected Todd out of Coastal Carolina University (Conway, S.C.) in the 33rd round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Since joining Salem-Keizer, Todd has batted .158 in 19 at-bats. He said he’s still adjusting to a new team and a new challenge.
“It’s definitely a learning process. It’s a different game,” said Todd, who had about 20 family members and friends in the stands on Saturday and started on Sunday.
Every player must provide a special skill that fits into the team scheme, and Todd said his niche is playing small ball: making contact at the plate to advance baserunners, getting on base, etc.
Frogs learn a lesson: The AquaSox gave fans two games in one on Saturday night when they barely hung on to defeat Salem-Keizer 12-11. In the first five innings, Everett outscored S-K 12-3. But the Volcanoes took advantage of several Everett miscues while scoring eight unanswered runs over the final 31/2 innings.
“It was a tough game to watch,” Everett pitching coach Marcos Garcia said, “but I think the kids learned a lot. You can’t sit back, just because you have a nine-run lead, and relax.”
In the end, Everett faltered but didn’t quite crumble.
“We kind of got a little sloppy,” Garcia said. “We weren’t happy with how our kids went out there, but we are better than that.”
Brandt struggles in season debut: This clearly wasn’t the first impression Adam Brandt wanted to make in Everett. Making his first appearance of the season for the AquaSox on Saturday after spending time in Tacoma, Brandt struggled mightily.
The left-handed pitcher allowed three runs, two earned, in just one-third of an inning. Brandt, a 6-foot-2, 230-pounder, struggled to find the strike zone and had a throwing error.
Garcia said Brandt didn’t see much action in Tacoma and needs time to readjust to game pressure. “He couldn’t repeat pitches,” Garcia said. “That’s gonna happen. … He’s gonna be back in there and he’s going to throw strikes.”
Hudson digs psychedelic uniforms: Asked how he felt about donning Everett’s colorful Frogstock uniform for Saturday’s game, AquaSox shortstop Rob Hudson said the idea quickly grew on him. His first impression was that the jerseys looked like something a soccer goalie should wear.
“But it’s kind of cool,” Hudson said, “because all the fans get into it and all the (groundskeepers) had the same shirt. … It’s kind of unique.”
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
