LANGLEY — A string of walked batters cost South Whidbey baseball its season-opening game against Friday Harbor.
The Falcons fell 11-9 in extra innings to the Wolverines on Saturday. A six-run sixth inning wasn’t enough as Falcon pitchers walked the winning runners in the ninth inning.
“They came out with some great pitchers,” said Falcon head coach Jeff Hodson.
“A lot of it was they hit the ball, and that you just can’t defend. They hit some solid balls.”
South Whidbey (0-1 overall) had to rally from a five-run deficit late in the game. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Falcons batted through the lineup. The rally started when South Whidbey put two runners on base by a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Falcon sophomore Nick Bennett scored an RBI single through second base, and sophomore Colton Sterba brought in another run on a walk. The Wolverines switched pitchers, but walked Falcon sophomore Jack Lewis and gave the Falcons another run.
With the bases loaded, Falcon junior catcher Aaron Curfman crushed a double to deep center field. Bennett and Sterba scored on the long hit. The six-run rally was needed relief and a stark turnaround from the scoring-challenged squad from last year.
“It’s all about finding the pitcher and seeing what he’s been throwing earlier,” Curfman said. “It’s being patient, knowing what you want and looking for it.”
Cameron Wildes, the Falcons’ third baseman, hit a single into shallow right field that scored Lewis from third base. Curfman gave South Whidbey the lead and its last run on a passed ball.
In the seventh inning, Friday Harbor (1-0 overall) scored the tying run that sent the game into extra innings. Falcon pitcher Taylor Todd wracked up the first out on a pop fly to left field. The Wolverines’ next batter jacked a double to deep left field.
“Our pitching, we threw strikes and whatnot and mixed it up,” Hodson said.
“I thought our defense played good.”
Todd walked the following hitter after fighting to a full count, which put Wolverines on first and second base. The next hit ricocheted off the pitcher’s plate, into the air and back to Curfman at home plate, preventing a score. Wildes scooped up a grounder at third base and threw out the Wolverine at home. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Wolverines got the tying run on a single up the middle before Todd fanned the final batter.
Friday Harbor brought in a different pitcher to hold the game in the seventh. Falcon senior Daniel Sage was walked, which gave South Whidbey its go-ahead run. After Bennett’s pop fly to right field was caught, Sterba walked after a full count, 10-pitch battle to move the winning runner to second base. However, a strikeout and a grounder to the pitcher stranded two runners and ended the potential game-winning rally.
“My style is we really want to be more aggressive,” Hodson said. “I think if anything, I was too tentative running the bases today.”
Friday Harbor claimed the victory in the top of the ninth inning. The Falcons walked three straight batters — despite a pitching change after the first two. The winning run was knocked in after Sage’s pitch hit the Wolverine batter. A sacrifice fly padded the lead to 11-9.
South Whidbey still had a chance to win. Todd made it to first base on balls. With one out, Bennett lined a double to center field, but Todd was kept at third base. The Wolverines returned Brandon Lambright — their starting pitcher — to the mound, and got a strikeout and a ground out to secure their first win.
“I think it’s just first game jitters,” Curfman said.
“We really wanted to go out and attack the ball and be aggressive. But the first guy kind of put us in our place, and then they came out with the guys who didn’t throw with so much gas.”
South Whidbey hosts its first Cascade Conference game against Cedarcrest at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 14. It will be the first game of the season for the Red Wolves, who swept the Falcons last year 1-0 and 11-2.
