KENNEWICK -- The bugaboo of the Kennewick Bandits this summer has been putting it all together -- pitching, hitting and fielding, playing sharp mentally and physically.
Tuesday night against the rival Twin City Titans, the Bandits finally hit all the right buttons.
Trux French and Kyle Sani each went deep in Kennewick's 12-4 victory in the first game of a Central Washington League doubleheader at Southridge High, and Landon Scott continued his surprise summer on the mound with a four-hit shutout in the second game, 5-0.
"We're either all there or all not -- nothing in between," said Scott, who also went 3-for-3 and scored three runs in the opener. "But when we're all there, we're tough to beat."
The Bandits (18-4) and Titans (15-7) will square off again at 5:30 p.m today, this time at Richland.
Kennewick needs to sweep to win the CWL outright and take the top seed into regionals. Anything less will leave the Bandits with the second seed after Yakima Valley (19-5) swept Yakima 16-2 and 9-2.
American Legion District VI commissioner Mike Welton corrected his previous statement, saying that if the Bandits and Pepsi Pak finish tied at 19-5, then the Pak would get the No. 1 seed on the third tiebreaker -- best record against the No. 4 team, the Yakima Beetles (the Pak swept four from the Beetles, while the Bandits went 3-1).
Welton had earlier said that the third tiebreaker was least runs allowed, which would have favored Kennewick.
The way the Bandits played Tuesday, a sweep today is not out of the question.
They flat-out mashed the ball against some top-shelf arms such as Cody Shepherd and Kody Young -- nine of their 25 hits were for extra bases.
Sani drove in five runs in the first game, Andrew Mendenhall ripped a two-run homer in the second and Brennan Borlaug was 5-for-7 with four RBIs on the day.
Kennewick's pitching was on target as well. Inning-eating Jacob Nelson turned in another complete game, working around eight hits by walking just one in the opener.
And Scott was never threatened in the nightcap, surprising since he lives off his fastball, and most of Twin City's hitters feast on heat.
"I just located my fastballs," Scott said. "People haven't been squaring up on my offspeed stuff all summer, so I throw in some sliders to keep 'em off balance."
Scott, who hit .415 to lead Whitworth University as a freshman, hasn't pitched regularly in five years. But he has been so effective as an emergency starter after Tony Bryant tweaked his shoulder early on, his college coaches expect him to be the No. 2 starter or closer next spring.
"He has the best all-around stuff on our team," said Bandits pitching coach Steve Schultz. "He's learning how to pitch, the mental part of it."
Only Brett Jacobs had any success off Scott, ripping a couple of singles to complete a 4-for-6 day.
Defensively, both teams were top-notch, with Kennewick shortstop Thomas Henderson starting three double plays.
French said the emphasis of the day was getting back to playing good, all-around baseball heading into the postseason.
"It'd be nice to get something going," he said. "This was a good start."
Twin City 200 110 0 -- 4 8 1
Kennewick 401 133 x -- 12 15 1
Cody Shepherd, Matt Minnich (2), Stinson Ott (5) and Josh Rapacz; Jacob Nelson and Kyle Sani.
Highlights--Jamison Rowe (TC) 1x4, 2B, SB; Brett Jacobs (TC) 2x3, 2B, 2 RBI, SB; Chris Cecil (TC) 1x3, 2B; Trux French (K) 2x4, 2B, HR, RBI, 2R; Landon Scott (K) 2x3, 4R, RBI; Tyler Roberts (K) 2x3, 3R; Sani (K) 3x4, 2B, HR, 5 RBI; Brennen Borlaug (K) 3x4, 3 RBI.
Twin City 000 000 0 -- 0 4 0
Kennewick 003 200 x -- 5 10 1
Kody Young, Kyle Stumetz (3), Mike Dunford (6) and Dillon Jackson; Scott and Joe Driver.
Highlights--Jacobs (TC) 2x3; Andrew Mendenhall (K) 2x4, HR, 3 RBI; Thomas Henderson (K) 3x4, 2B; Driver (K) 1x3, 2B; Michael Gordon (K) 1x3, 2B; Borlaug (K) 2x3, RBI.
Flames 8-12, Packers 3-2
RICHLAND -- Garrett Jones went 2-for-3 with a grand slam and five RBIs to lead the Hanford Flames to a victory over Apple Valley in the first game of their CWL doubleheader at Waits Field.
In the nightcap, Jeremy Burk struck out seven and Nick Betzsold went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles as the Flames invoked the 10-run rule in the sixth inning.
Apple Valley 102 000 0 -- 3 7 1
Hanford 016 100 x -- 8 6 0
Lee, Isadore (5), Burberry (6) and Brunner; James Landon and Chance Beebe. Highlights--Garrett Jones (H) 2x3, 5 RBIs, grand slam in third; Marcus Manderbach (H) 2x4, 2B.
Apple Valley 010 010 -- 2 7 2
Hanford 130 143 -- 12 17 0
Two outs when 10-run rule invoked. Porter, Nelson (5) and Uriles; Jeremy Burk and Beebe.
Highlights-- Nick Betzsold (H) 3x4, 2 2B; Manderbach (H) 2x3; Brad Elzie (H) 2x3; Brian Elzie (H) 2x4; Kyle Saueressig (H) 2x4; Jeremy Burk (H) 2x3, 7K; Cody Wagner (H) 2x4.
CWL Legion AA: Knights 12-13, Blues 5-38
Richland 212 430 0 -- 12 13 3
Yakima 020 120 0 -- 5 11 3
Corey Morris, Syd Hall (6) and Jarrod Turner; Klingele, Gonzalez (5) and Finn.
Highlights--Hall (R) 2x5, 2 2B, RBI; Boone Myers (R) 3x3; Zach Rapacz (R) 2x3, 2B, 2 RBI; Turner (R) 2x4; Hayden Hilty (R) 2x4, 3 RBI.
Richland 034 114 -- 13 12 1
Yakima 101 001 -- 3 10 3
Rapacz and Turner; Reyes, Gonzalez (4), Villegas (6) and Finn.
Highlights--Morris (R) 2x4, 2B, 2 RBI; Turner (R) 2x3; Mason Hilty (R) 2x3, 3 RBI; Cody Poznanzki (R) 2x4, 2 2B, 2 RBI. Richland 26-11, 16-6 CWL.