Everett, WA - The Trojans opened up north region play with a series win over Edmonds, taking three of the four games. The first two games were played at Everett Memorial Stadium on Saturday, but two straight days of heavy rain and wind, pushed the Edmonds home half of the series to Tuesday.
Game 1 went scoreless through three and a half innings before Everett finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 4th with a bases loaded walk. One batter later, with the bases still loaded Braeden Terry's sacrifice fly pushed across another run. Everett got another couple of runs in the bottom of the 6th to extend the lead out to 4-0 and relied on starting pitcher Kenji Miller who went 7 shutout innings, giving up just 3 hits, walking one, while striking out 4. Edmonds got on the board in the 8th after a walk and two hit by pitches loaded the bases. An infield single and an error allowed two runs to come across and close the deficit to 2. After a scoreless home half of the 8th, it would come down to closing pitcher Devin MacWatters in the 9th to get the save and the Trojan win. After a strikeout, a pop out, and a flyout the job was done, preserving the game one victory.
Game 2 did not provide much more offense for the Trojans although they more than doubled their hit total from game one. Edmonds got on the board early with 2 runs in the first inning, and it would turn out all they would need as the Trojans could only muster one run on 8 hits. The lone run came in the 3rd inning when an Xavier Ulrich single brought home Konnor Palmeira who got on base with a double (his 4th of the year). After the rocky start first inning, starting pitcher Julian Taudin-Chabot looked good, pitching 5 shutout innings for a total of 6 and only giving up 3 hits, while striking out 7 batters. Reliever Kainoa Holt also looked good in three innings out of the pen, giving up just one hit and no walks, while not allowing a run to come across.
Game 3 of the series took place three days later in Lynnwood and the Trojan bats finally got going with 12 total hits and driving across 5 runs to beat Edmonds 5-0. Braeden Terry had a 3 for 4 day including a double and drove in a run. Jonathan Kumai also went 3 for 4 with a double, and came around to score. Konnor Palmeira went 1 for 4 but came through with a timely single and a sac fly to give him two RBI's for the game. On the mound for Everett, starter Ayden Adams had his best outing of the year, going 7 full innings, giving up 5 hits, 1 walk, and no runs, while striking out 4 batters. He showed some grit as well, when twice runners were at third but each time he was able to work out of the inning. Zach Ediger pitched the final two innings in relief, giving up just a single and a walk, while striking out two batters and holding the Tritons scoreless.
The final game of the series would be another close, one-run ball game that eventually saw the Trojans come out on top. More offense for EvCC produced 4 runs on 10 hits. Ben Steck led the way going 3 for 4, and Payton Smith and Dylan Matsuoka each got their first home runs of the season. defensively it was a bullpen game as six pitchers saw action, none throwing more than 2.1 innings. Combined, they gave up just 4 hits, walked 5 and struck out 10. Devin MacWatters closed out the 9th inning, striking out two batters and earning the save. Dylan Matsuoka started the game, going 2 full innings, striking out 4 and earning the win.
The Trojans will face Bellevue this coming weekend who opened up their north region schedule with Shoreline and went 4-0. This series could determine who sits in the drivers seat for the rest of the regular season. Games one and two will be played at Bellevue on Sunday, April 10th at 1pm and 4pm. The Trojan home half of the series will be on Monday, April 11th at Everett Memorial Stadium. Game 3 will be at 3pm followed by game 4 at 6pm.