By Oly Archibald
SILVERDALE — If you’re a local high school baseball fan, tomorrow brings three big games, two in Silverdale and one at Foss High School.
At Central Kitsap High School, the 7th-ranked Port Angeles Roughriders (18-5) take on the state’s #1 ranked Enumclaw Hornets (19-1). The Hornets lost their opener to Tumwater 5-2 but have since won 19 straight games. They boast two outstanding pitchers: Junior Cooper Markham, already signed with the Oregon Ducks, with a 90-mph fastball, holds a 5-1 record and a 1.57 ERA with 58 strikeouts.
Enumclaw Junior pitcher Cooper Markham has a 90 mph fastball and is going to be a Oregon Duck
Senior Alec Johnson, heading to NWAC Wenatchee Valley College, holds a perfect 4-0 record with an unheard-of ERA of 0.39 and 38 strikeouts. Enumclaw faced tough games against Fife, defeating the Trojans 5-3 and 7-6. The winner of this match will play the winner of the 10 am North Kitsap – Steilacoom game at 4:00 for the District Championship, while the losers will compete for 3rd and 4th place at 4:00 at the County Fairgrounds Stadium.
Roughrider shortstop Alex Angevine, shown on the replay screen at Cheney Stadium, is 2 wins away from a District Championship
Both games will be broadcast on KONP Newsradio, with the Firehouse Grill pre-game show starting at 12:45. Oly Archibald will provide play-by-play commentary, and John Hayden will offer color commentary. Hayden is a highly respected high school and NWAC umpire and basketball official.
At Foss High School at 3:00, the upstart Sequim Wolves (ranked 21st, 12-11) will face Olympic League rival Kingston (ranked 31st, with a 12-10 record) for a chance to head to the state tournament. Sequim beat the Buccaneers twice this season. Junior pitcher Ethan Staples, with a 4-3 record, a 2.78 ERA, and 43 strikeouts this season, was sensational against Fife.
Sequim pitcher Ethan Staples and catcher Lincoln Bear, seen here on the KONP post game show, are one win from the State tournament
The Wolves will rely on big performances from Sophomore Zeke Schmadeke, hitting .344 with 19 runs scored and 12 RBIs, and Junior 2nd baseman Bryant Laboy, hitting .304 with 16 runs scored and 14 RBIs. Wolves Skipper Dave Ditlefsen and his team aim to make the Sequim Irrigation Festival even more special by earning a trip to the state tournament.
In girls’ fast-pitch, Port Angeles defeated Olympic 4-1. Kennedy Rognlien contributed with a single and a 2-run home run, while Ava Anne Sheahan added a single, a double, and 2 RBIs. Heidi Leitz pitched 7 innings with 10 strikeouts.