Bulldog win string ends in championship game

Coach Mike Parrish and his Bulldog crew collected the second-place trophy after bowing to Seattle Lutheran in the title game. It was the lone loss of the Colfax season.

Colfax Bulldogs stopped the DeSales Irish Friday but ran into to a hard hitting Seattle Lutheran team Saturday in the state 2B baseball championship game. The 10-6 win by Seattle Lutheran at Parker Field in Yakima marked the end of a 25-game win string for the Bulldogs this season.

“We just played a very good team. We didn’t give it away; we didn’t kick it away. They were just good,” Coach Mike Parrish commented.

One big factor for the Saints was junior pitcher Evan Clements who relieved the SL starter in the third inning. Clements had a fastball in the 85 mph range.

Will Hatley makes the pivot on a double play after getting a force out on pinch runner Joe Deuhn of DeSales.

“We haven’t seen pitching like that the all year,” Coach Parrish noted.

The SL hurler essentially shut down half of the Colfax batting order with the 2-3-4 Colfax batters pegging seven of the eight Colfax hits.

Seattle Lutheran, which plastered 17 hits in the first round Friday for their 14-7 semi win over Mossyrock, rolled up 11 hits against the Bulldogs.

Coach Parrish called on lefty Alex Teade to start for Colfax. Senior Dustin Huber relieved Teade in the third and sophomore JJ Robinson finished for Colfax.

Seattle opened the title game with three runs in the first inning. The Bulldogs came back with three in the bottom of the inning off two hits and an SL error.

Senior starter Brian Simmons was relieved by Clements in the third inning.

After that, the Saints added five runs before Colfax came back for two in the bottom of the fifth and one more in the seventh.

Conner Mullan led the SL bats with a 3-4 day, including two doubles and a triple. He had three RBIs. Keegan White also had three RBIs.

Robinson led the Colfax bats with a 3-4 day, including a double. Senior Joe Johnson hit 2-4 and scored three times. Senior Tanner Gay was also 2-3 with a double and two of the Colfax RBIs.

“Tanner really had a great series down there,” Coach Parrish noted.

Friday in the semi-final round Colfax pegged an 8-2 win over DeSales with senior Brandon Hoadley throwing a five-hitter.

Coach Parrish called on his senior ace in the semi round to get the best chance of making it into the next day’s championship round.

DeSales was shooting for a 17th title win at the B level.

Hoadley booked 12 strikeouts in finishing out his undefeated season.

Colfax scored three runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth to take control, and the Irish batters never really got to Hoadley.

Gay had the highlight hit of the night over the center section of Parker Field’s high fence between the 400 and 355 marks.

“He just really tagged it,” Coach Parrish said.

Hatley had a 2-3 game at the plate.

DeSales pitcher Victor Mata, who allowed Colfax 10 hits, had two of the five Irish hits. Mata fanned six Bulldogs.

The 25-game win string ranks just behind the 26-0 run posted by the 2003 Colfax title team. That title win finished a 42-game win string over two years.

“Overall, we head a great season. It was great to see these guys mature so much as players and as kids,” Coach Parrish said. This year marked his 14th season as head coach.