EvCC Goes 1-1 On the Day After More Late Game Excitement

Everett, WA – On the final day of a weekend triple-header, the Trojans opened up against Yakima Valley after an electric finish last night, when Jordan Justice hit a walk off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Yaks 6-5.

The two teams would again prove to be closely matched. Yakima got on the board first in the 2^nd inning this go around, but Everett responded in the 3^rd inning to tie the game back up.  The Yaks pushed across two more runs in the 4^th, but starting pitcher Ayden Adams was able to limit the damage and got out of the inning. 

Down 3-1 in the 5^th, EvCC came back with two runs of their own, driven in by a Konnor Palmeira single.  With the score tied at three, the Trojan relievers held it down with four scoreless innings between Preston Moritz and Zach Ediger.  Once again Everett relied on late game, bottom of the 9^th heroics.  With one on and one out, Cameron Green singled to move the winning run over to second.  Braeden Terry then doubled and brought Jonathan Kumai around to score and secure the third straight game in which the Trojans walked off. 

Everett combined for 7 hits, highlighted with RBI's from Braeden Terry, Nathaniel De La Cruz, and two from Konnor Palmeira.  Starting pitcher Ayden Adams went four complete innings, gave up 8 hits and 3 earned runs, while striking out four.  Moritz pitched 3.1 giving up just three hits and no runs striking out 3, while Zach Ediger closed out 1.2 innings giving up just one hit, no runs, struck out 2 and earned the win. 

In the weekend finale, the Trojans faced Pierce College who came off of a grueling 3 hours and 40-minute slugfest against Yakima in which the Raiders prevailed, 15-9. 

The first five innings of the game went scoreless, but Pierce put up three big runs in the 6^th inning on just one hit.  The Trojans answered in the 7^th inning with Konnor Palmeira again coming up big with a 2-run single. 

Down a run, Everett was able to tie the game in the 8^th inning when an error on a throw to first allowed Drew Biggerstaff to score from second.  With the bases loaded EvCC had a chance to take the lead, but ultimately stranded all three runners.

For the fourth time this weekend, the game came down to late inning drama, but for the first time it would have to be decided in extra innings.  The new extra inning rule starts a runner at second base, and Pierce was able to push one run across in the 10^th to take a 4-3 lead.  

In the bottom of the 10^th, Nolan Sparks started at 2^nd for EvCC and was able to move him over to 3^rd on a fielder's choice to start the inning. But after a strikeout and a ground out, Sparks remained 90 feet away from tying the game, and the Trojans suffered their second, one run loss of the season. 

Despite the loss, it was a successful weekend as the Trojans demonstrated to win close ball games, and come up with clutch hits in late game situations.  The pitching staff looked solid, giving up just 7 earned runs in 4 games, struck out 39 batters, and held hitters to a .259 average.  While the hitting was stagnant at times, there were several standout offensive performances.  Jonathan Kumai hit .353, scored 6 of the teams 16 runs, and stole 2 bases.  Jordan Justice hit .333, with a .733 slugging percentage and smashed 4 doubles.  And Konnor Palmeira was the clutch hitter of the weekend, batting .294 and led the team with 5 RBI's.

The Trojans will travel to Yakima next weekend, in a rematch set with the Yaks, but will also get two games against Southern Region power Linn Benton CC.