Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Tekoa-Oakesdale-Rosalia baseball team went to Walla Walla May 11 to gain entry into the 2B regional playoffs.
Facing Tri-Cities Prep, who beat them handily in a doubleheader at Rosalia two weeks ago, T.O.R. lost 1-0.
“We only had one chance,” said Spartans coach Kevin Young. “We only really had one threat.”
It came in the fifth inning, trailing 1-0.
Senior Micah Pittsley hit a ball up the right field line. He rounded first, then second and Coach Young signaled him to go to third.
Tri-Cities Prep threw the ball to their second baseman who gunned it to third as Pittsley slid for the base.
“All of us thought, I felt he was gonna be there all along,” said Young. “I had no reason to believe they’d be able to make that play.”
But they did. Pittsley was out and two batters later, senior Dylan Garrison hit a two-out double to leftfield. The Spartans couldn’t bring him home, though.
Earlier, Tri-Cities Prep scored their run in the second inning. With a single and a stolen base, they had a runner at third base when the next batter hit a dribbler up the third baseline.
Rosalia third baseman Jason Brown went to field it.
With the ball almost in his mitt, he looked up to set for the throw home. It was a moment too soon. He bobbled the ball and the runner scored.
Pittsley pitched the whole seven innings for the Spartans, giving up one run on two hits, with three strikeouts and two walks. He threw only 75 pitches in the game, which lasted an hour and 15 minutes.
“He pitched that well,” said Young.
Tri-Cities’ Prep Josh Guajardo also pitched the entire game, throwing 83 pitches to allow no runs on three hits, with two strikeouts and two walks.
“He threw a whale of a ballgame,” said Young. “We hit balls to the infield constantly, but couldn’t elevate anything to the outfield.”
In the Spartans last at-bat, in the seventh inning, Brock Shelton hit a ground ball for an out followed by a Craig Nelson walk and Pittsley hitting into a double play.
“It was tough because the kids were able to play like I always felt they could,” Young said. “The way the kids played in the last two weeks, my hat’s off to them.”
T.O.R. finished the season with a 10-12 record.
Seniors on the team included Pittsley, Garrison, Josh Roe, Ty Mundt and Shelton.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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