MARYSVILLE — The game between Marysville-Pilchuck and Lake Stevens Saturday was like two prized fighters, matching each other punch for punch.
Or better, pitch for pitch.
Marysville Pilchuck starter Matt Cooper outlasted Lake Steven’s Dylan Lavelle and the Tomahawks defeated the Vikings 3-2 in a Class 4A District 1 baseball tournament first round game at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
“We fought all the way through. It was a battle,” said Lavelle, who went 61/3 innings and allowed two runs on nine hits and one strikeout.
Devin Peterson’s one-out, bases loaded, walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh off of Vikings’ reliever Brian Clayton scored Levi Cartas with the game-winner and the Wesco North No. 1-seed Tomahawks (18-3 overall) advanced to play Monroe in a winner-to-state game on Tuesday at Everett Memorial Stadium.
“I really wanted to come through,” said Peterson, who finished 3-for-4 and whose single in the fifth inning tied the score at 2-2.
The Vikings intentionally walked Austin Denton, who batted 2-for-3 with a towering home run in the third inning, to get to Peterson, a player that had homered in both contests between the two teams during the regular season.
“It was a good situation for us. It’s kind of pick your poison,” Tomahawks head coach Kurt Koshelnik said.
“Peterson hurt us in the prior meetings, but Denton was swinging the bat well,” Lake Stevens head coach Rodger Anderson said, adding that in a bases loaded situation you’re also hoping for the double-play ball to get out of the inning.
They wouldn’t have gotten to the late-inning dramatics if it wasn’t for the Cooper’s solid pitching performance and Lavelle’s willingness to get himself out of tough situations.
With his curveball working, Cooper was able to strike out nine, scattering five hits and not allowing any earned runs or walks.
“He’s done it all for us this year. He threw really well,” Koshelnik said.
The junior right-hander was nearly perfect through the first four, giving up only one hit and striking out eight.
After Lake Stevens’ second baseman Josh Solemsaas led off the fourth with a double, Cooper quickly turned around retired the next three hitters — all on strikeouts.
“I had command of my curveball,” said Cooper. “It feels great to come out and get that first game.”
While Cooper was cruising through the Lake Stevens lineup, Lavelle was showing great poise by continuously pitching himself out of jams.
The freshman allowed runners on base in every inning except the sixth, but thanks to some tough pitching and great defense — including a sensational play by centerfielder Cody Porter and catch Zach Tyler in the second inning — the Tomahawks were able to muster just two runs.
“We’ve had confidence in him all year. Both pitchers did a great job,” Anderson said.
Lavelle was also handy with the stick, leading the Vikings with two hits.
The Vikings touched up Cooper for two unearned runs in the fifth inning, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead.
Pinch-runner Brandon Hoelzel scored on a throwing error by Tomahawks’ third baseman Tyler Holm and Zac Israel scored on a Porter single.
Lake Stevens (11-11) will face Mountlake Terrace in a loser-out game on Monday at Everett Memorial Stadium.
At Marysville-Pilchuck H.S.
Lake Stevens0000200—251
Marysville-Pilchuck0010101—3102
Cooper and Kiester. Lavelle, Clayton (7) and Tyler. WP—Cooper. LP—Lavelle. 2B-Lavelle (LS). HR—Denton (MP). Records—Lake Stevens 11-11 overall. Marysville-Pilchuck 18-3.
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