Exciting baseball games as season draws to close

POMEROY––Pirate baseball fans have been treated to exciting baseball with Pomeroy splitting double headers against DeSales and Touchet, but playing taut ball in the process. The Pirates are battling for a fourth seed into district with the end of the season ahead. The Pirates played at Gar-Pal on Tuesday and visit Endicott to face SJEL in the season-finale twin bill Saturday, April 29.

Presently the Pirates are one game out of a fourth seed into the district playoffs, Head Coach Kyler Lovgren said Monday. If Pomeroy wins against Gar-Pal and SJEL, Lovgren said, Touchet would need to lose one of its next six games for Pomeroy and Touchet to tie. "That would lead to a tie-breaker," Lovgren said. "If we win out and Touchet loses two, we would have the number four spot."

Against DeSales last Saturday, the Pirates counted three runs in the fourth and then Trace Roberts and the defense slammed the door on the Irish with two scoreless innings to preserve the 7-5 win. Trevin Kimble pitched solidly in the first five frames, giving up seven hits, striking out eight and walking three.

"Great baseball game," commented Lovgren. "I couldn't be prouder of our players.

"DeSales is a great team and we knew we would need to bring everything we had to play with them," he said. "For our seniors this was a memorable day as it was their last baseball game at home and the scenario couldn't have been better, after playing all season in cold and windy conditions, today we saw a sunny day with our field in great condition."

Kimble had another exceptional day on the mound and at the plate, going four for four, Lovgren said. "Trace Roberts also came up huge going four for four at the plate and absolutely crushing the baseball," he added.

Kimble's and Roberts's performances were supported by the entire team playing at their best, Lovgren noted. "We had guys executing bunt-and-run situations, our base running was educated and precise and the defense was tough, led by Brodie Magill making plays all over the outfield."

The second game, an 18-2 loss, "did not go how we wanted," the coach said. "We just couldn't find the strike zone from the mound. We started off well hitting the ball, but ultimately our mound presence just couldn't be found. We will need to pull our pitching together this next week in order to finish the regular season strong," he said.

The Pirates came up short in the first game against the Touchet Redhawks after giving up five runs in the first.

"This was another hard-fought game," Lovgren said. "Aside from the first inning where we gave up five runs, the game was another pitching battle. Trace Roberts was strong on the mound picking up 10 strikeouts."

The nightcap was a tense 1-0 win, a pitching duel punctuated by fortuitous Pirate hitting in the fourth inning. Kimble went six and one-third innings, eyeball-to-eyeball against Redhawk hurler Owen Godinez, Lovgren said. Kimble held Touchet to two hits and struck out 11 before Roberts came in in relief to preserve the 1-0 win.

In the fourth inning, Roberts smacked a double to reach scoring position, then Brodie Magill followed with an RBI double.

"I thought our team played at a high level and have been continuing to pick up the level of play as the season progresses," Lovgren said.

See box scores on http://www.eastwashingtonian.com.

Pomeroy 7, DeSales 5 (4-22)

R H E

Des 102 020 0-5 7 1

Pom 210 310 x-7 9 4

Battery: DeSales-Sisk, McCollaugh (4) and Nunes. Pomeroy-Kimble, Roberts (6) and Severs.

Hits: DeSales-Holtzinger 3 (2b), McCollaugh, Balof, Wood, T. McCauley. Pomeroy-Kimble 4, Roberts 4 (2b, 3b), Magill.

DeSales 18, Pomeroy 2 (4-22)

Des 248 13-18 8 0

Pom 200 00-2 5 4

Battery: DeSales-Holtzinger, McCollaugh (4) and Nunes. Pomeroy-Roberts, Magill (2), Severs (3) and Slusser (5) and Severs, Kimble (3).

Hits: DeSales-Baffney, Holtzinger, Arceo 2, Nunes 2 (2b), Sisk 2(2b, 2b). Pomeroy-Kimble 2, Roberts 2 (2b, 3b), Magill.

Touchet 7, Pomeroy 2 (4-18)

R H E

Pom 100 001 0-2 7 3

Tou 510 100 x-7 8 0

Battery: Pomeroy-Severs, Roberts (2) and Kimble. Touchet-Kolb, Orozco (7) and unknown.

Hits: Pomeroy-Kimble 2 (2b), Roberts 2 (2b), Severs, Bryson (2b), J. Slusser. Touchet-Kolb 2, Godinez 2, Pumphrey, Frazier 2, Mendoza.

Pomeroy 1, Touchet 0 (4-18)

R H E

Pom 000 100 0-1 3 1

Tou 000 000 0-0 2 0

Battery: Pomeroy-Kimble and Severs. Touchet-Godinez and unknown.

Hits: Pomeroy-Kimble, Roberts, Magill. Touchet-Godinez, Orozco.