Mountainview, Skyview win baseball titles

The Skyview Storm claimed the Class 4A state baseball title Saturday night, downing the South Kitsap Wolves 8-5 at Gesa Stadium in Pasco.

This is the first baseball title for the Storm (22-6) since the Vancouver school opened in 1997. However, the school already has titles in boys soccer, softball and girls basketball in the last two decades and was runner-up in football in 2011.

South Kitsap, hoping to win its fourth state title and first since 2003, finishes the season at 21-6.

Auburn Mountainview won the 3A state championship with a 7-1 victory over West Seattle.

The Lions, who topped Kennewick 6-4 on Friday, scored four runs in the sixth inning to open up a two-run game.

Joey Cassano was 2-for-4 and Kekoia Nahaku went 3-for-4 as the top of the order set the table for Mountainview (26-3), which had never won a state game before this season.

Shawn Guinn threw six innings of shutout ball before getting into a spot of trouble in the seventh. Cassano came on to shut the door.

Ben Wexler battled through 5-plus innings for West Seattle (21-6) but was hurt by some defensive miscues. The Wildcats were playing in their first-ever state semifinal under 26-year head coach Velko Vitalich.

Auburn Mountainview 7, West Seattle 1

Auburn Mountainview 000 114 1 — 7 11 0

West Seattle 000 000 1 — 1 6 2

Shawn Guinn, Joey Cassano (7) and Brice McCulloch; Ben Wexler, Jamie Maples (6), Andrew Snook (7) and Jimmy Mai. Highlights—Cassano (AM) 2x4, RBI; Kekoa Nahaku (AM) 3x4, RBI; Mason Cerrillo (AM) 2x4; Tyler Friis (AM) 2x3, 2 RBI, 2R.

This story was originally published May 25, 2013 at 11:15 PM with the headline "Mountainview, Skyview win baseball titles."