Baseball: Kennewick one win from state tournament | Tri-City Herald

The Mid-Columbia Conference pulled off a sweep of the Greater Spokane League in the Class 3A District 5/8 Tournament on Tuesday, led by top-seeded Kennewick shutting out Rogers 10-0 at Roy Johnson Field.

Because No. 4-seed Kamiakin knocked out the GSL’s top seed, Mt. Spokane, Kennewick will play host to the next round of games on Saturday, with contests set for 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

In Tuesday’s contest, Kennewick ace Jarrod Molnaa struck out nine batters and gave up just one hit over the six-inning game.

“Another great start by Jarrod,” said Lions coach A.J. Marquardt. “He’s done that all year for us. We’re a little fortunate because we got off to a slow start.”Marquardt said his team was hitting balls right at Rogers players at the start.

“I think there were a little bit of nerves,” he said. “And it was a little bit of a trap game to say the least, if you look at Rogers’ record (3-18). But it’s still baseball, and you have to come out and play. We were a little rusty being off a week.”

J.J. Hancock led the Lions’ offensive effort with three hits, including a triple. Clayten Ayres had two doubles, and Steve Sordahl and Colton Plew had two hits each.

The Lions will play Southridge at 10 a.m. Saturday at Roy Johnson, with the winner earning the top seed to regionals. The loser will play at 4 p.m. against the winner of the Hanford-Kamiakin 1 p.m. contest, to determine the No. 2 seed to regionals.

Rogers (Spokane) 000 000 — 0 1 1

Kennewick 030 142 — 10 10 1

Marker, Manry (6) and Titus. Molnaa, Plew (6) and Wilbert. Highlights—Molnaa 9 Ks; Steven Sordahl (K) 2x4, 2B; JJ Hancock (K) 3x4, 3B; Clayten Ayres (K) 2x2, 2 2Bs; Colton Plew 2x3.

Southridge 12, Shadle Park 2 (6): Conner O’Neil was strong on the mound, and Jerad Newbry had a big day at the plate as the Suns eliminated the Highlanders in a District 5/8 Tournament game in Kennewick.

Newbry was 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while O’Neil struck out four and walked none.

“He gave up a couple hits here and there, but minimized and pitched pretty clean,” Southridge coach Tim Sanders said. “Newbry set the table big-time today from the first pitch ... set it for us and the middle got it done.”

Southridge (15-6) will play Kennewick at 10 a.m. Saturday at Roy Johnson Field with a state berth on the line. The two teams split their games this season.

“It’s great for our conference to sweep this thing,” Sanders said of the Mid-Col going 4-0 against Spokane schools. “It speaks volumes to the quality of play around here.”

Shadle Park 100 001 — 2 7 3

Southridge 210 513 — 12 13 0

Ben Shoemaker, Jonathan Krupla (5) and Brett Rypien. Connor O’Neil and Austen Morfin. Highlights—Southridge: Jerad Newbry 3-3, 2 Rs; O’Neil 2-3, 2B, 4 Ks, 0 BB; Grant Lathim 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2 2Bs; Andrew Nett 0-1, HBP, 2 BBs, 2 Rs.

Kamiakin 4, Mt. Spokane 2: David Marshall threw seven strong innings, allowing two hits with no walks and four strikeouts as the Braves upset the top seed from the Greater Spokane League on the road.

With the victory, Kamiakin (12-10) will face Hanford in an elimination game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Roy Johnson Field in Kennewick in the District 5/8 Tournament.

“David was dominant today,” Kamiakin coach Ryan Carter said. “He really attacked hitters and got into a great rhythm. We made a couple of plays behind him and it gave him confidence and he cruised.”

Hayden Burris hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to lead the offense.Hanford and Kamiakin split the two games they played this season.

Kamiakin 100 002 1 — 4 10 2

Mt. Spokane 010 100 0 — 2 2 3

David Marshall and Ty Earley. Drew Rasmussen and Jake Leabey. Highlights—Kamiakin: Logan Jackson 3-4; Earley 2-2; Hayden Burris HR; Dylan Keatch 3-3; Marshall 5 Ks, 1 BB.

Hanford 11, University 1: Jalen DeVine scattered four hits and allowed just one run, and the Falcons gave him plenty of run support in a District 5/8 Tournament win over the host Titans.

The Falcons scored four runs in the first inning and four more in the third to take an 8-1 lead.

“We jumped on them early, and Jalen was in control the entire game,” said Hanford coach Tom DeWitz. “We scored some runs early, and he settled in nicely.”

Aaron Enderlin and Zach Hoskins each had two hits for Hanford, which will face Kamiakin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Roy Johnson Field in Kennewick.

Hanford 404 30 — 11 7 0

University 100 00 — 1 4 1

Jalen DeVine and Aaron Enderlin; Thies, Bradley (3) and Smith. Highlights—Enderlin (H) 2x3; Zach Hoskins (H) 2x3.

Connell 14, Highland 4 (6): Jess Hawk was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs as the Eagles defeated the Scotties in a Class 1A District 5 first round victory in Connell.

Mark Borgens was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Leo Bermudez added two hits, a triple and an RBI.

Highland 000 112 — 4 11 3

Connell 001 337 — 14 12 2

Isaac Mitchum, Parker Stohr (5), Taylor Logan (6) and Taylor Logan, Isaac Mitchum (6). Austin Forsyth, Jess Hawk (6) and Austin Ochoa. Highlights—Connell: Brendan Holst 3-5; Jess Hawk 3-4, 2 2Bs, 3 RBIs; Mark Borgens 2-4, 3 RBIs; Leo Bermudez 2-3, 3B, RBI.

Naches Valley 4, Kiona-Benton 1: The Bears couldn’t solve Rangers pitcher Koleman Johns, who struck out 14 in a District 5 tournament first round game in Naches.

Cody Zyph was 1-for-3 with an RBI double for Kiona-Benton, which will play at either Columbia (Burbank) or La Salle on Friday in an elimination game.

Kiona-Benton 100 000 0 — 1 2 2

Naches Valley 010 003 x — 4 7 1

Robb and Thomas. Johns and B. Wells. Highlights—KB: Cody Zyph 1-3, 2B, RBI. NV: Koleman Johns 14 Ks.

Columbia (Burbank 6), La Salle 4: Tim Ellis went the distance for the Coyotes, scattering three hits over seven innings, and also provided a clutch two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning to lift the Coyotes to Class 1A District 5 win over the Lightning.

Columbia (9-12) will visit Naches Valley at 4 p.m. Friday in a semifinal game, with the winner earning a state berth.

La Salle 010 003 0 — 4 3 2

Columbia-Burbank 100 140 x — 6 7 1

Kevin Smith and Gavin Rodriguez; Tim Ellis and Paden Kotwitz. Highlights—Ellis (CB) 6 Ks; Kotwitz (CB) 2x2, 2B, RBI; Ellis (CB) 2 RBI.

TRI-CITIES PREP 10, DAYTON 1: Josh Guajardo scattered three hits, struck out eight, and walked no one as host Tri-Cities Prep beat Dayton in a Southeast 2B district tournament loser-out contest at Chiawana High School.

The Jaguars took advantage of eight Dayton errors, and Anthony Hinkson had three RBIs for Prep (14-7)

The Jaguars will play a loser-out contest at 11 a.m. Saturday at DeSales, against either Waitsburg-Prescott or Tekoa-Oakesdale-Rosalia.

Dayton 000 100 0 — 1 3 8

Tri-Cities Prep 410 302 x — 10 6 1

Smith and Hays; Josh Guajardo and Anthony Hinkson. Highlights—Hinkson 3 rbis; Guajardo 8 ks, no walks.

Liberty Christian 6, Touchet 1: Brandon Peterson struck out 13, while walking just one as the Patriots ended the Indians’ season in a Class 2B District 9 semifinal in Richland.

Liberty Christian will travel to Colton at 11 a.m. Saturday for the district title game. The winner of that earns a state berth, while the loser plays a District 7 team on May 14 for a state berth.

Touchet 000 100 0 — 1 5 3

Liberty Christian 230 001 x — 6 5 1

D. Goucher, Nate Ochoa (3) and Colter McKeown. Brandon Peterson and Mitch Godwin. Highlights—Liberty Christian: Godwin 2-2; Taylor Lindquist 1-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Brandon Peterson 2 RBIs; Ryan Steele 2 RBIs.