Baseball: Koenig-Smith, Rivas propel Pasco to playoff win over Richland

Jacob Koenig-Smith had a hand in both of the Pasco High School baseball team’s runs Tuesday, scoring the first and driving in the second, and Zeff Rivas gave up one run on three hits in a complete-game effort to lead the visiting Bulldogs to a 2-1 upset win over Richland in a Mid-Columbia Conference/Greater Spokane League subregional play-in game.

Koenig-Smith scored on a wild pitch after leading off the game with a double to left. In the fifth, he drove in Anthony Cruz with a two-out single for what proved to be a vital insurance run.

Richland loaded the bases with one out against Rivas in the bottom of the seventh, but was only able to cash in for one run; a Kyle Corrigan ground out to short that plated Josh Mendoza.

Christian Berry started on the mound for Richland and gave up one earned run on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. Taylor Johnson came on in relief and didn’t allow a baserunner over his 2 1/3 innings.

Pasco (4-17) went winless in conference play this season, with its last overall victory coming against Prosser on March 23. The Bulldogs will play at Gonzaga Prep (16-4) at 4 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the double-elimination tournament.

KENNEWICK 3, ROGERS 2: Blake Collier pitched four innings of two-hit, shutout relief to record a lengthy save for the host Lions in their loser-out, first-round game of the MCC-GSL 3A subregional playoffs at Roy Johnson Field.

With the score tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the third, Talon Lafontaine hit a one-out double to center that plated Trent Sellers for the eventual game-winning run. Sellers led the Lions (10-11) at the dish by going 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored.

Adam Bertram gave up three runs — two earned — on five hits over a six-inning complete game in a losing effort for Rogers (1-19). Cooper Shelby started for Kennewick and lasted just three innings, giving up two runs on three hits and walking five.

Kennewick will play Shadle Park (13-7) in another loser-out game at 3 p.m. Friday at Southridge. The winner moves on to play the nightcap against the Suns (17-3) in the double-elimination part of the bracket.

This story was originally published May 3, 2017 at 12:04 AM with the headline "Baseball: Koenig-Smith, Rivas propel Pasco to playoff win over Richland."