Rough Seas for Varsity Baseball

Due to inclement weather, Vashon had to play four games in five days.  The results would determine which direction the remainder of the season would take.

On Monday April 12 the Pirates hosted a strong Chimacum team, losing 11-2.  Paulsen_Chimacum_041210Chimacum’s top pitcher − 2009 Nisqually League co-MVP Landon Cray − held the Pirates to just three hits and struck out nine.  Julian Smith notched a double in the second, Peter Johnson an RBI single in the fifth, and Wes Paulsen a double in the sixth. 

Paulsen pitched six gutsy innings against a deep and powerful hitting Cowboy  team.  Smith pitched the final inning.  Line score:  Vashon 2 Runs, 3 Hits, and 3 Errors   Chimacum  11 Runs, 14 Hits, 0 Errors.

Tuesday April 13 the Pirates lost to Cascade Christian 5-2 on the Cougars home field.  The Pirates struggled on defense, running the bases, and hitting Cascade’s number one Pitcher, Kyle Stennes.  Stennes held the Pirates to just five hits. 

Tyler Bernheisel, just back from a serious ankle sprain, started the game and pitched five innings.  Peter Johnson was 2 for 3 at the plate and Ben Rio recorded his second varsity hit. 

Line score:  Vashon 2 Runs, 5 Hits, 2 Errors   Cascade 5 Runs, 8 Hits, 4 Errors.

 

On Wednesday April 14, the Pirates lost to Charles Wright 5-1 on the TerriersJ_Gilmour_CW_041410 home field.  The Pirates continued to struggle with the bat, unable to string a series of run-producing hits together. 

Matt Amick pitched five solid innings but the Pirate defense wasn’t on their game, committing at least three  errors.  Hitting highlights included two hits each by Amick (one a double), Tyler Bernheisel, and Wes Paulsen, and 3 hits by Peter Johnson. 

Line score:  Vashon 1 Run,11 Hits, 3 Errors   Charles Wright 5 Runs,7 Hits, 4 Errors.

Friday April 16 the Pirates lost to league leader Seattle Christian 10-5 on Vashon's home field.  Starting pitcher Wes Paulsen pitched five innings, followed by Tyler Bernheisel for two, and Julian Smith for one. 

The strong hitting Warriors recorded 15 hits including a pair of back-to-back home runs in the fifth.  Warriors starting pitcher Derek Weston kept Pirate hitters off balance until the third inning when Peter Johnson and Joe Gilmour both singled and scored on a shot by Julian Smith to the Warrior first baseman. 

The Pirates scored two more runs in the fourth as Matt Dick and Zach Drape led off the inning with walks, and Erik Powelson followed with a bunt that the Warrior defense couldn’t handle.  With the bases loaded, Peter Johnson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center field, and Drape scored on a hard hit ball by Paulsen. 

In the sixth, Joe Gilmour and Matt Amick both singled and Gilmour scored on a sacrifice fly by Bernheisel.  Line score:  Vashon 5 Runs, 6 Hits, 2 Errors   Seattle Christian 10 Runs, 15 Hits, 2 Errors.

 

It was a week to forget for the Pirates, dropping four league games. Three of the losses were to quality teams as this year’s Nisqually League is deep with talent and a couple of these teams could very well compete for the state title.