Tinglestad leads Marysville Pilchuck over Snohomish 7-1

SNOHOMISH — There weren’t a lot of hits in Tuesday’s non-conference baseball game between Marysville Pilchuck and Snohomish.

But Trent Tinglestad had one pretty big one.

The Tomahawks senior had one of Marysville Pilchuck’s five hits, a three-run home run, in the top of the first inning to lead the Tomahawks to a 7-1 victory over Snohomish in both teams’ final game before league contests start.

After Tristan Southard led off the game with a double and Alex Aumick was hit by a pitch, Tinglestad — who also pitched the first four inning for the Tomahawks and earned his first win of the season — hit a homer to right-center field to give Marysville Pilchuck the early lead.

The Tomahawks added another run in the inning when Calvin Walker scored on an error, putting Marysville Pilchuck up 4-0 before Snohomish got to bat.

“Our leadoff guy hit a ball hard, our next guy got a walk and then our number three guy comes up and stings a ball,” said Marysville Pilchuck head coach Kurt Koshelnik. “That’s kind of the plan, right? That’s what you’re hoping to see. Three batters, three runs. Trent Tinglestad had a really good day, on the mound and at the plate.”

Snohomish, which has trailed in three of its four wins this season, tried to battle back. The Panthers got their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior Luke Kuna hit a double. Kuna scored later in the inning on an RBI double by Josh Johnston, but Snohomish managed only one more hit the rest of the way.

“We got some guys on base,” said Snohomish head coach Kim Hammons. “We had a couple hits, they gave up four walks and we had six guys on base in the first five innings. We had some good at-bats but we hit the ball hard right at people. We just could not put anything together to come back.

“In all of our non-league games, except one, we have been down 2-, 3- or 4-0 and we have come back and won the game,” Hammons continued. “I just think that we’re used to it. Our mindset is, ‘So what? Let’s come back and let’s win this doggone thing.’ And today it just didn’t happen. Marysville was tough. They just kept coming at us.”

Marysville Pilchuck (3-2 overall) added another run in the fifth inning when Tinglestad scored on a wild pitch and two more in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.

Tomahawks senior Devin Buckingham then pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of seventh — with a pair of strikeouts — to continue his hot start to the season and finalize the win.

“That’s his fourth time out — maybe he’s pitched in all five games — and he’s just come in and done a really good job,” Koshelnik said. “He just does exactly what you just saw.”

Both teams used quite a few pitchers to get some innings in during the final non-league game. Tinglestad (1-0) was relieved by Jacob Watts in the fifth inning before Buckingham came in to pitch the seventh.

Johnston (0-1) started for the Panthers, who also sent Braden Hammond, Brandon Jodock and Zach Boswell to the mound. Boswell came into the game in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and one out — and Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” playing over the speakers — before getting a foul out and a pop-up to end the threat.

“We love playing Snohomish,” Koshelnik said. “It’s a beautiful, historic field. It’s an old rival of ours for years and years in 4A. Next year, they’ll be 3A and we’ll be rivals again. We just know that we’re going to get a well-coached team that comes out and plays the game right. It’s a good tune-up for us.”

It was the final game for Snohomish (4-2) before the Panthers start Wesco 4A games with a contest against Monroe on Wednesday. Marysville Pilchuck faces Stanwood in its Wesco 3A North opener Friday afternoon.

“The Tomahawks had our number today,” Hammons said. “They had a big first inning with a jack and they were off and running.

“We just have to flush it and move on to the next game. Get ready for the Bearcats and see what we can do. It’s a big game — the first league game of the year.”

At Snohomish H.S.

WP: Trent Tinglestad (1-0). LP: Josh Johnston (0-1). Individual highlights: Marysville Pilchuck—Tinglestad (1-3, 3-R HR, 2 R), Calvin Walker (2-3, 2 R); Snohomish—Johnston (1-3, 2B, RBI, R), Luke Kuna (1-3, 2B, R). Records—Marysville Pilchuck 3-2 overall. Snohomish 4-2.