WINLOCK, Wash. - Since coach Pat Doumit took over the Colton High baseball program, the team has made it to the state title game in every even-numbered year.
And, yet again, that pattern held true.
The Wildcats beat Naselle 9-6 and Evergreen Lutheran 2-1 on Saturday at Winlock High to punch their tickets to yet another Washington Class 1B title game.
Shooting for its fourth state title in eight years, Colton (18-7) will face Almira-Coulee/Hartline next Saturday in Centralia. First pitch is at 4 p.m.
"We've played them in the playoffs every year since 2010," said Doumit, who took over the Wildcats' baseball program that same year.
While the numerologists out there might argue Colton was fated to reach this stage, Doumit knows his team's fifth trip to the title game in nine years didn't come easy.
After starting pitcher Cameron Bean hit his pitch count in the nightcap, reliever Matt Wolf "provided a little drama" before getting the final out.
"(Wolf) walked the first two guys to load the bases, but popped the last guy out to end it," Doumit said.
In the third inning of the nightcap, Luke Vining drove in Colton's only two runs with a single - and did it with two outs and two strikes.
"That was the difference in the ballgame," Doumit said of Vining's line drive to right-center field.
After earning a save in the first game, Bean gave up just one run during his 62/3 innings against Evergreen Lutheran - and that run wasn't earned.
"He just really, really knows how to pitch," Doumit said.
Things got interesting in the first game of the day for Colton, when Naselle loaded the bases with the go-ahead run at the plate in the sixth.
"But (starting pitcher) Reece (Chadwick) got a groundout to end it," Doumit said of that threat in the penultimate frame.
Giving up just three earned runs, Chadwick was one of two heroes for Colton in the opener, the other being Tom Wolf, who had two RBI.
First Game
Colton 801 000 0-9 6 5
Naselle 200 211 0-6 12 5
Reece Chadwick, Cameron Bean (7) and Parker Druffel. Dorman, Lindstrom (1) and Strange.
Colton hits - Tom Wolf, Cameron Bean, Reece Chadwick, Luke Vining, Jon Bean (3B), Jackson Meyer
Naselle hits - Edwards 2 (2B), Strange 2, Lindstrom 2, Dorman 2, Wirkkla (2B), Townsen, Strange
SECOND GAME
Evergreen Lutheran 010 000 0-1 3 3
Colton 002 000 x-2 3 3
Josiah Heimlich, Liam Peterson (7) and Noah Rittieralt. Cameron Bean, Matt Wolf (7) and Parker Druffel.
Evergreen Lutheran hits - Heimlich (2B), Ryan Rittieralt 2.
Colton hits - Parker Druffel, Luke Vining, Matt Wolf.
Pirates finish third
WALLA WALLA - Pomeroy split its games in the Washington Class 1B baseball state tournament to earn a third-place finish.
The Pirates' first game was a 9-4 victory against Odessa. Hogan Heytvelt had a great game on the mound, pitching six innings of no-hit ball before having to leave in the seventh after reaching his pitch limit. He finished with eight strikeouts.
"He really was just on top of things. Pitching six hitless innings is incredible," Pomeroy head coach Dave Boyer said.
Pomeroy then played Almira-Coulee-Hartline in the second game, which ACH won 2-0 to advance to next Saturday's state title game.
The Pirates' defense wasn't too shabby despite the loss and despite not having ace Heytvelt in their back pocket. Jace Gwinn came in and only gave up one hit and one earned run.
Pomeroy 030 121 0-7 9 1
Odessa 100 000 2-3 4 1
Hogan Heytvelt, Aiden Berglund (7), Jace Gwinn (7) and Danner Maves, Theron Schlomer Jett Nelson (4) Time DeWulf (7) and Marcus King.
Pomeroy hits - Hogan Heytvelt 2, Aiden Berglund 2, Danner Mayes, Evan Barteos, Billy Ruchert, Trent Gwinn 2.
Odessa hits - Marcus King, Colton Hunt, Tim DeWulf (2B), Eric Johnston (3B).
Almira-Coulee-Hartline 200 000 0-2 2 0
Pomeroy 000 000 0-0 2 0
Dalton Kentner and Parker Zappome. Jace Gwinn and Danner Mayes.
ACH hits - Magurie Isaak 2.
Pomeroy hits - Ryan Wolf, Hogan Heytvelt.
Panthers bounced in quarters
YAKIMA - Asotin's season ended in the quarterfinals of the Washington Class 2B state tournament on Saturday at Davis High.
Things started off well for the Panthers, as they shut out DeSales in the opening round of the tournament 10-0 with excellent pitching by Noah Renzelman. He tallied four strikeouts.
In the second game, Asotin was on the opposite side of a shutout loss to Brewster, which won 4-0 to end the Panthers' season.
"We just couldn't get anything going," Asotin coach Jim Holman said. "I kinda got to tip the cap to Brewsters pitcher he had a great game."
Asotin ended its season 20-5 overall and will return most of its players, graduating only Elliott Marks.
DeSales 000 000- 0 2 5
Asotin 130 204-10 11 0
Holtzinger, Towne (5) and Chase. Renzelman and Marks
Desales hits - Wahl, Chase.
Asotin hits - Fry 2 (2B), Wilkinson 3 (2B), Marks, Renzelman 2 (2B), Judy, Berzett, Landrus.
Brewster 011 101 0-4 7 0
Asotin 000 000 0-0 2 1
Vassar and Mcquire, Fry, Judy (6) and Marks.
Bewsters hits - Garrell 2 (2B), Baker 2 (2B), Mcquire, Gebbers, Ramirez.
Asotin hits - Marks, Hurlbert.
Bulldogs bow in semifinals
WENATCHEE - Colfax beat Kittitas/Thorp 3-1 in the Washington Class 2B state quarterfinals before falling in the semifinals to Tri Cities Prep, 5-1. Both games were at Wenatchee High.
TRACK
Pirates add four to contingent
SPOKANE - Pomeroy qualified four more athletes for the Washington Class 1B state meet on Saturday, making it 16 overall, during the finale of the district event.
The Pirates' girls' 400 relay team placed first, as did John Davis in the shot put.
POMEROY RESULTS
Marks not available
GIRLS
100 - Nikki Halbert. 400 - Tiffany Wessels. 400 relay - Nikki Halbert, Syndey Watko, Carmen Gingerich, Sydney Smith. 1600 relay - Carmen Gingerich, Sydney Smith Teagan Steele, Tiffany Wessels. Discus - Destany Herbert. Triple jump - Teagan Steele.
BOYS
Shot put - John Davis
TENNIS
Pullman duo qualifies for State
PULLMAN - District girls' doubles runners-up Jacquie McAleer and Lucy Gao of Pullman prevailed 6-2, 6-3 over Elise Dibble and Ashlynn Hall of Selah in the Great Northern League/CWAC subregionals event to qualify for the Washington 2A state championships.
McAleer and Gao will join district boys' singles champion Jake Pru and girls' doubles champions Sierra Robinson and Madison Shearer in representing the Greyhounds on Friday and Saturday at Seattle.
PULLMAN RESULTS
Boys' singles - Louis Merred, Quincy, def. Quinn Bankhead 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Boys' doubles - Levi Garza/Josh Valdez, Othello, def. Tim Watts/Casey Crow 6-3, 6-0; Gates Petersen/Randy Hodges, Quincy, def. Henry Ward/Sasha Wood 6-1, 6-1.
Girls' doubles - Jacquie McAleer/Lucy Gao, Pul, def. Elise Dibble/Ashlynn Hall 6-2, 6-3.
