The Vashon Pirates baseball team capped a record-setting season, winning three close games last week to take the Nisqually League title with a perfect 12-0 record in league play.
The Pirates rose to the occasion, facing two tough opponents in three games last Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It wasn’t easy, but great pitching, sound defense and clutch two-out hitting gave the Pirates the edge in each nerve-wracking contest.
Monday, April 25, the team played on its home field against Seattle Christian in the third meeting of the season. The final score was a tight 4-2 with the Pirates off to a quick start scoring three of their runs in the first inning and one in the second. The Warriors scored their two runs in the second inning, and that was it for the day. Jeremy Pilgrim- Stoppel pitched the full seven innings allowing only two runs on three meager hits with four strikeouts and six walks. The Pirates’ offense had 10 hits on the day, but couldn’t get more than four across the plate. The big hit of the day belonged to Chester Pruett who knocked a two-run home run over the left field fence in the first inning.
Wednesday, April 27, found the Pirates at Cascade Christian in Puyallup. It was an edge-of-the-bleachers game the whole way. With two outs in the third inning, Clyde Pruett worked the pitcher for a full count before drawing the bases loaded walk scoring Simon Perrin for the Pirates’ first run of the game. Courtesy of a couple hits, a walk and some untimely fielding errors, the Pirates were down 4-1 going into the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Logan Hawkins reached base on error. The next batter flew out, bringing Clyde Pruett to the plate. He took the ball deep, sending it over the left fielder’s head and out of the park, bringing the score to 4-3.
In the sixth inning, the Pirates impressively manufactured two runs to take the lead. The first two Pirate batters were sent back to the dugout empty-handed. Facing two outs, Sam Schoenberg drew a walk and stole second. Ashton Dulfer drew another walk. A gutsy double steal put Schoenberg on third and Dulfer on second. Hawkins reached first on an error allowing Schoenberg to score the tying run. Dulfer scampered home with the go-ahead run on a subsequent error.
Vashon’s relief pitcher Dulfer held the Cougars the final two innings, facing only four batters each inning. Chester Pruett had the start, pitching four innings, allowing three earned runs. Dulfer came on in relief, pitching the final three innings and effectively shutting down the Cougars’ bats.
Friday, April 29, was the team’s final home game and all eight seniors were honored mid-game. The large crowd saw some great baseball as the Pirates and Cougars faced off for the last time. The first three innings were a testy affair with neither side happy with the other. In the first inning, Hawkins hit a bomb of a home run with Dulfer on base that should have scored two. Upon appeal by the Cascade coach, the umpire determined he didn’t see him touch home plate, and he was called out; The ball that went over the fence was called a triple instead. The Pirates were now up 1-0 instead of 2-0. The loss of this run had serious implications as the game progressed.
Cascade scored a run in its half of the third inning, and the Pirates answered right back in the bottom with one of their own. Hawkins drilled a bomb double, and courtesy runner Levi Myer got to third on Pilgrim-Stoppel’s sacrifice. With one out, Clyde Pruett hit sharply to the third baseman who threw wide to home, allowing Myer to slide in for the go-ahead run. After a couple of innings of back and forth nothing, the Cougars tacked on the tying run in the top of the seventh making it a very tense 2-2 score.
In extra innings, Vashon’s reliever, Dulfer, pitched impressive eighth and ninth innings. The Pirates broke through in the bottom of the ninth with another two-out, ice-water-in-your-veins performance. Dulfer came to the plate first and laid down a picture-perfect bunt for a hit putting him on base. The next two batters were retired, but Dulfer got to second on a passed ball. With two outs, Clyde Pruett took a 3-1 count and drove a line drive deep into left field plating Dulfer for the winning run.
Head coach Steve Hall was ecstatic over the team’s performance and never-say-die attitude.
“I have always enjoyed coaching and being around the kids, but this group is special. I have never had so much fun in all my years of coaching. No matter what the outcome in the playoffs, I know these guys will give everything they’ve got and will leave it all on the field. These guys all pull for each other like no others I have ever seen.”
With playoffs not starting for the Pirates until May 10, they will play a couple more non-league games to keep them sharp. The team traveled to Kentlake High School on Tuesday, May 3, with results after press time. They will take on Olympia High School on Friday, May 6, in Olympia.
— Cheryl Pruett is the mother of two high school athletes.
