Wildcats break out in seventh for 6-2 playoff win

Colton bats came to life in the seventh inning Tuesday at Medical Lake where the Wildcats pegged a 6-2 playoff win over Almira/Coulee/Hartline to advance to the regional round of the state playoffs. The win sends Colton to the regionals at University High in Spokane Valley Saturday where they will go up against an undefeated Odessa-Harrington team in the first round.

One team from each of the four state regional rounds will advance to the final four in the state championship finals next week at Ellensburg.

Tuesday’s game at Medical Lake locked up in a 2-2 tie over the first six innings. The Wildcats broke it open by linking three singles in the top half of the seventh after Carter Dahmen drew a walk.

Justin Meyer, Levi Weber, and Jordan Druffel linked the singles. Weber’s rap scored the go-ahead run for the Wildcats. Coach Pat Doumit noted the rap was the second time in the game that Weber put down the go-ahead hit. He also did it in the third inning to put the Wildcats on top with a lead before the Warrior bounced back to tie it at 2-2.

Colton pitcher Jake Straughan allowed eight hits, struck out 11 and walked just three in taking the win.

“After we broke it open in the top of the last inning, Jake was able to take it down in the bottom of the inning to get the win,” Coach Doumit said.

Straughan struck out the first two ACH batters in the last inning. The last chance batter for ACH hit a liner which was snagged by a leaping Carter Dahmen at second base to end it.

The Wildcats tagged eight hits off ACH hurler Drew Isaack, the same pitcher they faced in last year’s title game. Levi Weber and Justin Meyer each had two hits. Austin Meyer, Jordan Druffel, Dahmen, and Brady Chadwick had the other hits.

The other four entrants in Saturday’s regional at University will be Liberty Christian, top finisher in the SE, and Wilbur Creston.

District 9 Championship game:

Liberty Christian 11, Colton 4

For five innings, the game could have swayed on a bounce of the ball or pop of a mitt.

Then it all changed.

In a baseball game to decide the 1B District 9 Championship at Colton Saturday, the Wildcats and Liberty Christian were tied at 0-0 into the fifth inning. After came a flurry of hits, runs, pitching changes and a final score of 11-4.

The day began with each inning bringing threats to get the scoreboard going.

In the third, Colton’s Jake Straughan hit a triple, but was left there to jog back to the dugout after Carter Dahmen struck out.

Liberty Christian came up to bat again and put two runners on before Colton threw out their runner leading off third. Moments later, Wildcats pitcher Jordan Druffel picked off the leading-off runner at first.

“Didn’t think you were gonna be so busy today, did you?” said Colton assistant Seth Paine to the first base umpire at the switchover.

The Wildcats’ Levi Weber then got on base, was almost picked off, the ball escaped the first baseman and Weber took second.

Up came Druffel.

“Be yourself, be a hitter!” called out Weber from second base. “You got this Jordy! Keep fightin’ Jordy!”

Druffel went down on a third-strike fastball.

With two outs, Casey Jackson came to the plate next.

Weber remained at second as the pitches began.

“Hitter’s count right here Casey Jackson!” he called out. “Bring me home, kid!”

Druffel hit a foul ball onto Highway 195, then chased a wide, low pitch into the dirt for the third strike and third out.

Weber jogged back to the Colton dugout.

The game stayed that way until the fifth inning when Liberty Christian scored three runs on a double and triple deep to centerfield.

At Colton’s next at-bat, they scored four runs on the strength of a two-RBI base hit from Justin Meyer.

Leading 4-3, Colton’s Jake Straughan took the mound.

In succession, L.C. then hit base hit after base hit and soon led 10-4.

The Wildcats failed to score in the sixth and L.C. added a run in the seventh to make it 11-4.

It was down to three outs left for the Wildcats.

“Win a ballgame, do something amazing, why not? Why not?” said Doumit in the front of the dugout.

Dahmen hit a ground ball and almost ran it out at first.

With one out, Meyer walked and Tristan Blewett went out to pinch-run.

Weber struckout and Druffel came up.

After two quick strikes, he swung at the last pitch, The catcher’s glove popped and the game was over.