The Edmonds-Woodway baseball team followed up its worst game of the season with back-to-back victories and clinched a district playoff berth in the process.
The Warriors stumbled at the start of last week in a 13-7 loss to Kamiak on April 17, but then bounced back with an 8-6 win over the Knights the next day and then ensured their place in the postseason with a 9-1 triumph over Shorewood on April 20.
“We played hands down our worst game of the year,” said Edmonds-Woodway coach Matt Barker. “We came back and played pretty well on Wednesday and finished the week pretty strong.”
The offense, which had come and gone at various points of the season, appears to be more on than off these days.
“Our hitting has gotten to the point where it’s consistent up and down the lineup,” Barker said.
Earlier in the season, certain players carried the Warriors at times. But the entire lineup is hitting the ball well now, Barker added.
The loss to Kamiak was due to a myriad of errors and poor pitching. Edmonds-Woodway issued 10 walks and committed eight errors.
“Anytime you do that you’re not going to win,” Barker said.
The loss was an anomaly because pitching and defense have been strengths for the Warriors this season.
“All of a sudden it disappeared at once,” Barker said.
Barker didn’t have much to say about the loss to his players other than telling them that games like that are bound to happen and that it would only hurt if they let it happen again.
Senior Owen Jones and junior Kramer Scott made sure that it didn’t happen again as both players cleaned up at the plate.
Jones was 4-for-4 on Wednesday and 3-for-5 on Friday, while Scott went 2-for-4 in both victories. Scott also pitched six innings in the victory over Shorewood. Scott was hitting .490 as of last week.
Senior Drew Lockhart has been the standout on the pitching staff.
“He’s been outstanding,” Barker said. “He throws a lot of strikes. He puts the ball in play and keeps us in the game.”
Edmonds-Woodway (12-2 in the league and 15-3 overall) trail defending Class 4A state champion Jackson (11-1, 14-1) but are well ahead of the third-place 4A team Shorewood (5-7, 7-9). The Warriors take on Jackson on April 30 and May 1.
“I like our chances in the district tournament,” Barker said. “It’s going to be a good tournament.”
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