MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — The favorites in the Class 3A high school state baseball tournament better keep a wary eye on Mountlake Terrace. The Hawks seem to have discovered the formula for do-or-die situations.
Mountlake Terrace continued its fairytale postseason run, 10-running the Auburn Riverside Ravens 13-3 in six innings in the opening round of the state tournament Tuesday afternoon at Mountlake Terrace High School.
The 13th-seeded Hawks used solid pitching from Dayton Nickolson and Jack Glover, along with an ability to manufacture runs, to take control early against the 20th-seeded Ravens. Mountlake Terrace grabbed a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning without hitting a ball hard, and it was more of the same the rest of the way.
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“It’s just knowing we want it more than they do,” Mountlake Terrace left fielder Ryan Sturgill said about why the team’s found success in loser-out games. “It’s keeping the energy. It’s us or them and we really want to keep the season going, we don’t want to end it here.”
The victory continued Mountlake Terrace’s charmed playoff journey. The Hawks had to win two loser-out games just to get to the double-elimination portion of the District 1 tournament. Mountlake Terrace, which was seeded ninth at district, then upset Snohomish and Shorewood to reach the title game, where it dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker against Edmonds-Woodway.
So the win-or-go-home scenario Tuesday was no stressor for the Hawks.
“I don’t know if it’s just rising to the occasion, which I want to say, but I think they understand the gravity of the situation,” Hawks coach Ryan Sells said. “We come out here, we tell them about these banners (on the outfield fence) — the coaches and I have been a part of some of these. The tradition of being able to play Terrace baseball is something that’s not overlooked. I think their determination, their grit, their savviness out there, it’s been really fun to watch.”
Sturgill reached base five times and scored four runs, and Talan Zenk drove in four to lead the Hawks (16-10), who advanced to the round of 16. They face fourth-seeded Lake Washington at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue. The winner of that game plays the winner between No. 5 Timberline and No. 12 Shorewood in the quarterfinals later that day.
Carson Rhooms homered twice and drove in all three runs for Auburn Riverside, which finished its season 14-12.
Auburn Riverside was all too familiar with loser-out games itself, as the Ravens won three loser-out contests at the District 3/4 tournament to qualify for state. However, Auburn Riverside had to play twice last Saturday, meaning the Ravens were deep into their pitching staff for Tuesday’s opening-round game.
Mountlake Terrace took full advantage of that situation. The Hawks drew 12 walks and were hit by three pitches, meaning Mountlake Terrace had runners on base all day. Once on base, the Hawks were hyper-aggressive, repeatedly taking second unopposed in first-and-third situations, and twice executing successful suicide squeeze bunts. Tyler Shankle’s squeeze bunt with the bases loaded in the first opened the scoring, plating two runs when his perfectly-positioned attempt drew a throwing error as the Ravens tried to make a desperation play at home.
The Hawks then put it away in the third. Zenk’s two-run single through a drawn-in infield highlighted a five-run rally that made it 9-1.
“We say, ‘Live small, bunt the ball,’” Sturgill said. “Just get on base anyway you can, and then someone’s going to get a big hit and knock everyone in.”
From there it was clear sailing for Nickolson and Glover. Nickolson, a side-arming righty who’s Mountlake Terrace’s No. 1 pitcher, allowed the two homers to Rhooms, but was otherwise efficient as he walked none and struck out three in four innings. Glover relieved and fanned four of the seven batters he faced. Both managed to limit their pitch counts, meaning the Hawks, who were without No. 2 Tyler Song for part of districts because of a jazz band trip, could be fully staffed for Saturday’s potential doubleheader.
“Dayton just showed what he’s done all year, throwing strikes and competing,” Sells said. “Then I was really proud of Jack Glover coming out and throwing strikes. I don’t think he’s thrown in the last four games, so being able to come out and compete as a senior, it’s going to be huge for our postseason run.”
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