Patriots aim at league wrap AAA playoffs

Pullman Patriots face three more league games to decide their entry in the Spokane Legion playoff rounds. The Patriots, now 8-9 after pegging a 1-3 mark at the start of the week when they returned to league play, are looking at a third or fourth place finish in the league.

Top team in the Spokane AAA Legion wins an automatic berth to the state regional playoff which will be at Colfax. Two other slots will be on the line when the other four teams in the league battle through double elimination rounds next week in Spokane.

The Blue Devils and the Northstars remain in contention for the top spot. The Patriots and Bandits were looking at third and fourth. League standings at the end of the week will determine seeding in the elim rounds next week.

The Patriots last three league rounds will all be at WSU’s Bailey-Brayton in Pullman. They play the Cannons at 5:30 today, Thursday, and then wrap up the league with a pair against the Northstars Friday starting at 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday in Spokane the Northstars took both sides of a double from the Pats, 10-6 and 13-10.

In the first game, Pats starter JJ Robinson was pulled with a wrist injury after the first inning. His departure was another blow to the already-depleted lineup for the Patriots.

Chase Druffel of Colton relieved Robinson.

The Stars had a 7-3 lead after two innings, but the Patriots battled back to within one run, 7-6, in the top of the fourth. They were shut down after that and the `stars scored three more in the next two frames. They finished with eight hits.

Will Hatley doubled and tripled for two of the six Patriot hits. Hatley finished with four hits on the day.

The second game Tuesday saw the two clubs race to an 8-8 tie after two innings with both teams running low on pitching. The ‘stars added a run to take the lead in the third and kept the edge for the 12-10 win.

The Patriots out-hit the `stars 10-7. Hatley, Joe Johnson, Brett Druffel, Zach Young and Pete Barner each had two his. Druffel and Young had doubles.

Monday in Spokane the Patriots booked a split with the Bandits. They took the first game 6-3 with Jackson Webb throwing a six hitter.

The Pats also booked six hits with Hatley and Webb each getting two. Webb pegged a double, and Brady Mooney had a triple.

In the second game, the Pats pegged a 4-2 lead until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Bandits score five runs. A big part of the Bandito charge came off three Patriot errors in the inning.

The two clubs again finished even in the hits department with seven each.

Hatley again rapped a pair, one of them a double. Brett Druffel also had a single and double. Webb, Mooney and Johnson had the other hits.