4A baseball: Skyview back in Final Four, tops Jackson in regional final

EVERETT — Get ready for Mount Skyview to blow.

That’s what Skyview’s baseball team hope, anyway.

Skyview, of course, isn’t a mountain, but sitting in the shadows of Mount St. Helens in what happens to be the weekend of the mountain’s eruption 38 years ago makes for a fitting analysis by the players. The Storm hope next week’s Class 4A state baseball championship weekend means eruption time in a season filled of subtle rumblings by the Storm.

If lava represents wins, the Storm had more than a dusting of that Saturday in the 4A regional in Everett. Skyview defeated Inglemoor, 8-0, then topped Jackson, 2-1 in the regional final to make a return trip to the state semifinals for a second straight year.

That veteran experience, boost of confidence and big wins such as Saturday’s pair of victories will help the Storm entering next weekend’s state semifinals at Pasco’s Gesa Stadium seeking their first state title since 2013. Skyview (21-5) faces Wenatchee at 1 p.m. Friday. Wenatchee topped Moses Lake in its regional final Saturday.

Final — Skyview 2, Jackson 1. Storm return to Final Four next weekend in Pasco. pic.twitter.com/8LjsyJYUcZ

— Meg Wochnick (@MegWochnick) May 20, 2018

“I feel like we just keep rolling,” senior Daniel Copeland said. “No matter who it is, any guy on this team can come through and we always come through in big situations.”

Copeland pitched a complete-game four hitter in the shutout victory over Inglemoor, getting plenty of help from the offensive with 13 hits. Griffin Sissel went 3 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs and Michael Lundgren’s two-run home run gave Skyview its largest lead of the game.  

In the final against Jackson, defense stole the show.

What momentum Jackson (16-7) gained Skyview squashed with three inning-ending outfield assists. Two of those plays prevented the Timberwolves from scoring. Leading 2-0 in the first, Michael Hickey tagged Ben Steck on a throw home by Max Rose from left, and in the third, Carter Hill’s throw to Noah Guyette was in time at second before the Jackson runner crossed home plate.

Inning-ending Outfield assist No. 3! Holy cow, Skyview!

Copeland to Pitts! pic.twitter.com/WRM0xCxezO

— Meg Wochnick (@MegWochnick) May 19, 2018

Those plays, Lundgren attested to, won the game for the Storm.

“It took away runs for them,” he said, “and it deflated them.”

Jackson outhit Skyview, 8-5. All of a sudden, the 2-0 lead on Ryan Pitts’ first-inning two-RBI triple felt larger for sophomore starting pitcher Cooper Barnum with a defense that was making plays head coach Seth Johnson hasn’t seen in a game with so much at stake.

“That’s the best feeling in the world,” Barnum said of his defense.

Barnum threw six-plus innings Saturday. He exited after allowing a lead-off walk to start the seventh and despite being responsible for the run that scored to make it a 2-1 game with two outs, Pitts struck out Booth, Jackson’s lead-off hitter, on a 2-2 count to begin the celebration back to the state semifinals.

And it just happens to be the same venue Skyview won its only state title five years ago.

“We took it there in 2013,” Copeland said, “and we’ll take it there again.”

—

BASEBALL, Everett regional

At Everett Memorial Stadium

JACKSON 3, SOUTH KITSAP 0

SK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 0

JACK 0 0 2 0 1 0 x — 3 8 0

South Kitsap

Pitching: Garrison Glisson 3 IP (L) 5 H, 2 ER, 1 K; Jason Sauer 1.2 IP; PJ Moritz 1.1 IP. Highlights: Nate Wotzka 1-3; Alex Garcia 1-2; Jacob Duarte 1-2.

Jackson

Pitching: Alec Schuldt 7 IP (W), 3 H, 0 ER, 3 K. Highlights: Carter Booth 2-3, 2 R; Addison Beckman 2-3, R, RBI; Bradley Lindquist, 1-3, RBI; Case Matter 1-3; Kyle Serres 1-3; Diego Altamirano 1-3, RBI.

SKYVIEW 8, INGLEMOOR 0

SKY 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 — 8 13 1

ING 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 4 2

Skyview

Pitching: Daniel Copeland: 7 IP (W),

Highlights: Griffin Sissel 3-3, 2 2B; 3 RBI, Carter Hill 2-3, 2B; Michael Lundgren 2-2, HR, 2 RBI; Daniel Copeland 2-5, 2 RBI.

Inglemoor

Pitching: AJ Baldwin 3.1 IP (L), 8 H, 4 ER, 2 K; Garrett Oremus 1.2 IP; Brandon Fothergill 2.0 IP. Highlights: Mitch Malsalm 2-3; Nathan Schuh 1-3; Teddy Bishop.

Regional final

SKYVIEW 2, JACKSON 1

Regional final

SKY 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 2 5 0

JACK 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 1 8 0

Skyview

Pitching: Cooper Barnum: 6 IP (W), 7 H, 1 ER, 1 K; Ryan Pitts 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K

Highlights: Daniel Copeland 2-4, R; Ryan Pitts 1-3, 2 RBI; Griffin SIssel 1-3; Noah Guyette 1-3.

Jackson

Pitching: Case Matter: 7 IP (L), 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K.

Highlights: Chase Matthews 2-3; Ben Steck 2-2; Carter Booth 1-4; Chase Matter 1-4; Kyle Serres 1-4.