Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Garfield/Palouse baseball team played their home opener Tuesday, April 23, for a doubleheader win over St. John/Endicott/ LaCrosse.
After weeks of home games cancelled or moved to playable fields elsewhere, Gar/Pal (6-3) took the field in Garfield for 11-3 and 8-3 wins.
In game one, Vikings freshman Kane Weiker got his first varsity start and first win, going six innings.
“Six strong innings, consistent strikes,” said coach Mike Jones.
In game two, Gar/Pal took the game in the fifth inning, called for darkness.
At bat, Ely Hawkins went 4-for-7 over the two games with a double and three singles.
Last Saturday, April 20, Garfield/Palouse went to Pomeroy for a doubleheader and lost two more times to the Southeast 1B league leaders.
In game one, the Vikings went down 10-0, the game called for the mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth.
Austin Jones started on the mound, going three innings to allow eight hits and a walk and three earned runs.
Weiker came in for the last 1 2/3 innings to give up four hits, no walks and two earned runs.
The Vikings committed four errors in the game. Pomeroy totaled 12 hits.
Pirates’ senior Jace Gwinn pitched the whole way for Pomeroy, giving up just one hit from Austin Jones.
At one point in the second inning, two Gar/Pal errors led to five runs.
“We had a chance but we didn’t make the plays we needed behind our pitchers,” said Coach Jones.
In game two, Gar/Pal regrouped and lost 2-0 as Blake Jones pitched six innings, allowing two hits with four strikeouts, no walks and two unearned runs.
Pomeroy scored their two runs in the fourth inning on three errors in the Gar/Pal outfield.
At the plate, the Vikings had four hits in the game to Pomeroy’s two.
“We played right with them and had chances to win,” said Coach Jones. “We’re really competing with them, we’re looking to get over the hump and win one of these times.”
Gar/Pal lost to Pomeroy 3-0 on April 12.
The Vikings will now play five games in the next 10 days to complete their regular season, pending no more weather cancellations. They are at home in Garfield against Reardan Saturday for a non-league doubleheader, followed by a game at Colton Tuesday (whom Gar/Pal has not yet played this year) and then at home against Colton for a doubleheader Friday, April 27.
Pomeroy beat Colton in their one meeting of the season.
“Pomeroy is the lead horse,” said Coach Jones.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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