South Whidbey baseball ranked 9th in state poll

South Whidbey’s baseball team has a 7-3 record and ranked ninth in the WIAA’s RPI 1A baseball poll.

April 5, 2024 1:30 am
South Whidbey shortstop Grady Davis fields a ball during a game March 15 against Coupeville. South Whidbey is ranked ninth in the WIAA RPI 1A baseball poll. (Photo by John Fisken)
South Whidbey shortstop Grady Davis fields a ball during a game March 15 against Coupeville. South Whidbey is ranked ninth in the WIAA RPI 1A baseball poll. (Photo by John Fisken)

By NATHAN WHALEN

Special to The Record

Thanks to strong pitching, South Whidbey’s baseball team has a 7-3 record and ranked ninth in the WIAA’s RPI 1A baseball poll.

Cedar Park Christian, also in the Emerald Sound Conference with South Whidbey, is ranked seventh in the state.

“That’s pretty impressive to have two teams in our league in the top 10,” South Whidbey baseball coach Tom Fallon said.

The Falcons started the season with a four-game winning streak getting victories against Orcas Island, Coupeville, Evergreen of Seattle and Sultan. “It’s been a good start,” Fallon said.

South Whidbey followed the winning streak with three losses, two against Cedar Park Christian and one against Sultan.

Fallon said the team had a few tight games. During a game against Granite Falls, South Whidbey was up 5-0 and ended up winning 5-4.

The Falcons had a tough 2-1 loss against Sultan. Even though South Whidbey was hitting the ball well, “we were hitting them right to people that day,” Fallon said.

They are currently on a three-game winning streak.

Fallon highlighted South Whidbey’s pitching for the early part of the season.

Junior Grady Davis is 4-1 for the Falcons. In 18 innings pitched for the season he’s had 33 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.16.

His teammate Malachai Pierson has 14 strikeouts for the season and an ERA of 1.65.

On offense, Pierson is hitting .414 with 12 hits and eight walks and his teammate, Connor Bartell, is hitting .480 with 12 hits, 10 RBIs and five walks, Fallon said.

South Whidbey didn’t have a scheduled game through spring break after they topped Coupeville 14-1 March 30. Their next game is noon Saturday when the Falcons host Friday Harbor.

Fallon said the weather hasn’t been cooperative through the first half of the season and the team has had to practice indoors.

The Falcons have six conference games remaining in the season. They have two games April 10 and April 12 against Overlake and close out the season with two games against Kings. South Whidbey, Overlake and Kings are all in similar positions in the Emerald Sound Conference.

“We’re all fighting for the number-two spot in the playoffs,” Fallon said.