YAKIMA — The South Whidbey baseball team nearly surmounted an early three-run deficit, but fell to Hoquiam 6-4 in the 1A state tournament championship game on Saturday at Yakima County Stadium.
The Falcons (15-13) surrendered three first-inning runs and trailed 5-0 heading into their half of the fifth, but rallied to make it 5-4, scoring on an run-scoring groundout by Connor Antich, an RBI double by Brent Piehler and a misplayed grounder off the bat of Trent Fallon that plated a pair.
Hoquiam tacked on an additional run in the top of the sixth and South Whidbey couldn’t respond.
“We’ve kind of come out and taken the lead early during this playoff run, and it puts pressure on the other team when you do that,” said South Whidbey coach Tom Fallon, who steered the Falcons to four consecutive elimination-game victories during the postseason. “They scored three right out of the box, and that’s a hole that can be hard to get out of in this kind of atmosphere. It changed the way we played things a little bit.”
Fallon said that his is not a power-hitting team, and falling behind is a struggle for the Falcons.
“We’re not the strongest hitting team by any means, and our guys know that,” he said. “We’ve had to manufacture runs and scratch and claw for what we get. Playing from behind for us is very difficult, but I was very proud that we were able to get back in the game and be there at the end.
Will Simms started on the mound for the Falcons and was relieved by Charlie Patterson in the fourth inning.
“We have gone further than any South Whidbey team ever has, and our guys have nothing to hang their heads about,” Fallon said. “I’ve never been prouder of any team I’ve ever coached.”
At Yakima County Stadium
Hoquiam3000210—692
South Whidbey0000400—450
Skyler Jump and Zach Spradlin. Will Simms, Charlie Patterson (4) and Brent Piehler. WP—Jump. LP—Simms. 2B—Ricky Muzzy (SW), Piehler (SW), Stand Stipher (H), Jump (H). Records—Hoquiam not available. South Whidbey 15-13.
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