Everett, WA – The 2022 Trojan Baseball squad opened up the season with a scheduled four game series on Saturday and Sunday against Wenatchee Valley College. The two teams got in a full nine inning game, and a seven inning game on Saturday, but heavy rain on and off on Sunday changed some plans for the series as the first game of the day was delayed by an hour.
Redshirt freshman, Kenji Miller got the start in game 1 on Saturday and went 5.2 innings, giving up 5 hits and 2 earned runs, while also posting 8 strikeouts. Despite only 4 hits, the Trojans capitalized on 5 walks and used a big 5th inning to build out to a 4-0 lead. Joe McBride came in relief in the 6th inning with two runners on, and gave up a homerun, but limited any further damage and was able to go 2.1 innings and struck out 5. Devin Macwatters came in to close the game with a 6-3 lead after the Trojans tacked on runs in the 6th and the 8th. Macwatters slammed the door shut, striking out two and sealing first year head coach Ryan Parker's first career win as a Trojan. Offensively, Konnor Palmeira came up big going 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's, and Jordan Justice went 1-4 with 3 RBI's.
Game two was scheduled for 7 innings, and starting pitcher Julian Taudin-Chabot nearly went the distance going six shut-out innings on just 2 hits and striking out five. Jacob Sesso came in to close in the 7th and struck out one to secure the shut-out. The Trojan bats were hot led by freshman Nathaniel De La Cruz's grand slam in the 2nd inning. Braeden Terry and Konnor Palmeira both drove in runs in the 4th to put up another 6 spot on the scoreboard for Everett.
Game 3 even with the delay, did not seem to affect the momentum for EvCC from the day before. Despite only scoring three runs, the pitching held strong with another shut out, led by starting pitcher, Ryan Clasen who went 5 innings and struck out seven. Tyson Willis pitched an inning in relief, and Zach Ediger went three innings to close out the game, struck out 5 and did not give up a hit. It was a slow offensive game for Everett, but some well-timed clutch hits drove in three runs.
The final game of the series was scheduled for seven innings. Wenatchee Valley broke the shutout streak by scoring first in the third inning, but the lead would not be for long as Everett responded in the bottom half with four runs of their own led by Konnor Palmeira's 3-run double. Six more runs were tacked on in the 5th and 6th inning and the Trojans cruised to the weekend sweep, winning 10-1. The winning pitcher was sophomore Ayden Adams who went 5 innings giving up one run on 4 hits and striking out 5. Elias Holbert and Kainoa Holt came in relief and itched pitched a scoreless inning.
The Trojans will travel south next weekend to take on NWAC powerhouse Lane Community College.