EDMONDS
After throwing more pitches than he had in any game this season, Joey Pulitano was unusually sore.
“My body’s aching. My back’s hurting a little bit,” Pulitano said after his Lake Stevens Vikings played Edmonds-Woodway in a winner-to-districts, loser-out high school baseball game.
Despite the pain, Pulitano smiled afterward because his team earned an intense 6-4, eight-inning victory on May 7. In the process, Lake Stevens (11-10) kept its season alive and ended a fine spring for the young Edmonds-Woodway Warriors (13-8).
Pulitano, a Seattle University-bound left-hander, tossed 120 pitches in 71/3 innings and hit a two-run home run during Lake Stevens’ pivotal three-run eighth inning. Second baseman Josh Solemsaas also blasted a two-run homer for the Vikings, seeded No. 5 out of the Western Conference North Division. They play Wesco North No. 1 seed Marysville-Pilchuck (17-3) 1 p.m. Saturday in a first-round Class 4A District 1 tournament game in Marysville.
After missing the postseason last year, it is sweet to get there as a senior, Pulitano said: “We had a bad taste in our mouth from last year not going to districts. I’m glad we clutched up at the end and everybody pulled together for a good win.”
Lake Stevens scored three runs on one hit (Pulitano’s homer) in the eighth. The Vikings took advantage of wildness by E-W relief pitcher Sten Solberg and went on top 6-3.
Near his pitch limit, Pulitano took the mound in the bottom of the eighth and walked two of the first three hitters. Relievers Anthony Blackie and Jordan Sovich combined to finish it. Entering with the bases loaded and one out after Blackie walked in a run, Sovich got E-W’s Andy Willcock to ground into a game-ending double play.
Pulitano (four hits allowed, nine strikeouts, one walk) praised teammates for stepping up. He desperately wanted to complete the game, but watched from the dugout after Lake Stevens coach Rodger Anderson replaced him with Blackie.
“Pressure situation – I want the ball in my hand because I like being the leader,” Pulitano said. “I like being the guy on the mound.”
It was difficult to remove Pulitano, Anderson said, but it worked out. Pulitano “had about 15 pitches to go (before reaching his pitch limit) and we wanted to give him a shot,” said Anderson. “I hate taking the ball from a senior in what could be his last pitching performance.”
Thanks to its victory, Lake Stevens will play at least two more games. Its first foe in the double-elimination district tourney, Marysville-Pilchuck, is 2-0 against the Vikings this spring.
“It’s going to be a good battle – tough rivalries,” Pulitano said. “We’ve played with a lot of (M-P) guys through the years in select baseball.”
Although he gave up 13 hits, E-W pitcher Mike Stepenski limited Lake Stevens to three runs in seven innings. The first two runs came on Solemsaas’ home run in the first inning. In the fourth, E-W broke through and took a 3-2 lead when sophomore Austin Jones smacked a three-run homer.
Lake Stevens evened it up at 3-3 with a run in the top of the seventh – freshman Dylan Lavelle’s second single of the day drove in Matt Sweeney.
First-year Edmonds-Woodway coach Dan Somoza praised Lake Stevens’ Pulitano, whose jerky delivery confused the Warriors. With just three seniors on its roster, E-W made great strides this season and should be strong in 2010.
“They learned a lot this year,” Somoza said. “Hopefully our guys take some lessons from it on how to get better next year.”
Mike Cane writes for The Herald in Everett.
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