Due to inclement weather, Vashon had to play four games in five days. The results determined which direction the remainder of the season will take.
On Monday, April 12, the Pirates hosted a strong Chimacum team, losing 11-2. Chimacum’s top pitcher — 2009 Nisqually League co-MVP Landon Cray — held the Pirates to just three hits and struck out nine. Julian Smith notched a double in the second, Peter Johnson an RBI single in the fifth, and Wes Paulsen a double in the sixth.
Paulsen pitched six gutsy innings against a deep and powerful hitting Cowboy team. Smith pitched the final inning. The final score saw Vashon with two runs, three hits and three errors, and Chimacum with 11 runs, 14 hits and no errors.
On Tuesday, April 13, the Pirates lost to Cascade Christian 5-2 on the Cougars’ home field.
The Pirates struggled on defense, running the bases and hitting against Cascade’s number-one pitcher, Kyle Stennes. Stennes held the Pirates to just five hits.
Tyler Bernheisel, just back from a serious ankle sprain, started the game and pitched five innings. Peter Johnson was two for three at the plate,and Ben Rio recorded his second varsity hit.
At the end of the game, Vashon had scored two runs and had five hits and two errors. Cascade had five runs, eight hits and four errors.
On Wednesday, April 14, the Pirates lost to Charles Wright 5-1 on the Tarriers’ home field. The Pirates continued to struggle with the bat, unable to string a series of run-producing hits together.
Matt Amick pitched five solid innings, but the Pirate defense wasn’t on their game, committing at least three errors. Hitting highlights included two hits each by Amick (one a double), Tyler Bernheisel and Wes Paulsen and three hits by Peter Johnson. The line score was Vashon one run, 11 hits, three errors, and Charles Wright five runs, seven hits, four errors.
Friday, April 16, the Pirates lost to league leader Seattle Christian 10-5 on Vashon’s home field. Starting pitcher Wes Paulsen pitched five innings, followed by Tyler Bernheisel for two and Julian Smith for one.
The strong hitting Warriors recorded 15 hits, including a pair of back-to-back home runs in the fifth. Warriors starting pitcher Derek Weston kept Pirate hitters off balance until the third inning, when Peter Johnson and Joe Gilmour both singled and scored on a shot by Julian Smith to the Warrior first baseman.
The Pirates scored two more runs in the fourth as Matt Dick and Zach Drape led off the inning with walks, and Erik Powelson followed with a bunt that the Warrior defense couldn’t handle. With the bases loaded, Peter Johnson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center field, and Drape scored on a hard hit ball by Paulsen.
In the sixth, Joe Gilmour and Matt Amick both singled, and Gilmour scored on a sacrifice fly by Bernheisel. At the end of the game, Vashon had tallied five runs, six hits and two errors; Seattle Christian had 10 runs, 15 hits and two errors.
It was a week to forget for the Pirates, dropping four league games. Three of the losses were to quality teams, as this year’s Nisqually League is deep with talent, and a couple of these teams could very well compete for the state title.
— Rita Allman does Web and team support for the Pirates.
