Snoqualmie Valley Sports Journal

Good Wednesday morning. We start on the links this morning, and four Snoqualmie Valley youngsters will be competing for a state junior golf championship after earning berths to the Washington Junior Golf Association’s state event at district tournaments yesterday.

Snoqualmie’s Kasey Maralack, Hogan Warford, Cooper Neil and Shane Russell all qualified for the state tournament, to take place July 31-August 2 at three courses in Renton and Kent. Maralack took second in the girls’ 14-15 age group at the District Two event at White Horse Golf Club in Kingston, while the three boys – Warford, Russell and Neil – all qualified out of the District Six event at High Cedars Golf Course in Orting. Warford and Neil competed in the 14-15 boys age group, while Russell competed in the boys’ 8-11 age division.

A congratulations to all four golfers on their achievements yesterday and we wish them good luck in a couple of weeks. Two others from the Valley did not make it to state – Fall City’s Cole Bostwick and Snoqualmie’s Sage Phelps. Neither of them finished high enough in their age brackets to qualify for the state event.

Now to our diamond notes this morning. Youth baseball from Gamechanger and the Gamechanger app, available on Apple IPhones and IPads in their app store.

Youth Baseball
Boys of Summer 18U Blue 9, Thurston County Saints American 4 (game one, doubleheader): Mount Si’s Spencer Marenco went 3-3 with two runs scored for the Bellevue-based Boys as they took the first of two with the Lacey-based Saints at St. Martin’s University in Lacey last night. The Thurston squad won the nightcap 6-5 and split the twinbill with Marenco not playing in that game for BoS.

Bellevue Dragons 18U Elite 16, North Seattle Rainiers 4: The Dragons hopped across Lake Washington up to Magnuson Park in north Seattle last night and blew out the host Rainiers. Mount Si’s Troy Baunsgard paced the Dragons, going 1-1 with two walks, three runs scored and two RBI’s, and fellow ‘Cat Garrison Clark also scored a run and drove another in despite no official at-bats; he reached base on a hit-by-pitch. Clark started on the mound for BDE and worked two innings, allowing a run on two hits and walking four. He received no decision.

Seattle Elite League 15U Championship-Kent Bulldogs 8, Field of Champions Bears 15U Blue 3 (game one, best-of-three): The Kent team handled the Preston-based Bears last night to take a 1-0 lead in the series at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue, with game two of the series set for tonight. Mount Si’s Andrew Edson went 2-4 with two RBI’s for the Bears, who must win to force a winner-take-all game three with the Bulldogs tomorrow night. Other MSHS players also played in the contest for the Bears, including Kevin Corder (0-2, walk, run scored), Tyler Clem (1-2, walk, run, RBI) and Lucas Costello (starting pitcher, three innings, five runs (three earned), three hits, two walks, strikeout, losing decision).

College Summer Baseball
North Bend’s Marenco paces North All-Stars to win in WCL All-Star game: 2017 Mount Si High School grad Mason Marenco represented the Valley well last night at the West Coast League’s all-star game, going 1-3 for the North Division all-star team as they beat the South Division 10-6 in the game, held in Port Angeles. Marenco, playing this summer for the Wenatchee AppleSox, will be a freshman this fall at Gonzaga, and became the second local athlete in as many years to play in the contest; Snoqualmie’s Evan Johnson, also playing for the Sox at the time, played in the game last year in Yakima.

Valley athletes compete in college summer game on home turf: Four Snoqualmie Valley college baseball players saw action in front of family and friends last night in Fall City as the Pacific International League’s Redmond Dudes and Northwest Honkers squared off. Host NWH beat Redmond 5-1 at Fall City Community Park. Duvall’s Cameron Padron drove in a run for Northwest despite going 0-4, and Snoqualmie’s Riley Gill, Fall City’s Justin Lutz and Ames Lake’s Carson Corra went a combined 0-10 with a run scored for the Dudes, who were held to just four hits.

Simpson roughed up in Great West start: North Bend’s Tanner Simpson ran into some trouble last night for the Medford Rogues in a Great West League game with the Chico Heat. Simpson, starting on the mound for Medford, allowed four third-inning runs to the Heat, but the Rogues rallied and took the 9-4 win in northern California last night. The Lewis-Clark State grad, a 2014 MSHS alum, allowed those four runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four, and received no decision.

North Bend’s Gorrell on mound: Boise State sophomore-to-be Gavin Gorrell, from North Bend, took to the hill last night and pitched for the PIL’s North Sound Emeralds in an 11-3 league loss to the Seattle Cheney Studs in Tacoma. Gorrell, a 2017 Mount Si High School grad, allowed six runs, two earned, on seven hits in four innings of work and walked one to take the loss and drop to 1-3 despite a solid ERA of 3.10 this summer for the Emeralds. Gorrell this spring pitched for the University of Northern Colorado, but recently announced his transfer to Boise, who will be fielding a baseball team for the 2020 season in a new stadium that is expected to be shared with the minor-league Boise Hawks in Idaho’s state capitol.

Pro Baseball
Lane in action: For the second straight night, a Valley pitcher saw action in a minor-league series between the Tampa Tarpons and the Charlotte Stone Crabs in Florida. Monday, it was Charlotte’s Reece Karalus, and last night, it was Karalus’ fellow 2012 MSHS classmate Trevor Lane, both of whom are from North Bend, for Tampa. Lane worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed no runs or hits, but walked two and struck out three with no decision recorded, bringing his earned run average down to below 4.00 at 3.92 with the performance. The Tampa Bay Rays-affiliated Stone Crabs won last night 9-3 over the New York Yankees-affiliated Tarpons, their second straight lopsided win to open the three-game set this week. Monday’s game was a 15-4 Charlotte win and Karalus made his first-ever start on the mound in the minor leagues, working four scoreless innings for the Stone Crabs.

Good Tuesday morning. We hit the links to start this morning and news from the U.S. men’s Amateur sectional down in Tacoma yesterday. A Valley golfer’s dreams of competing for a national championship came up short yesterday as he failed to earn a berth in this summer’s U.S. Amateur tournament.

North Bend resident Mitchell Dover, a sophomore-to-be this fall at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma who competes for the PLU men’s golf team, fired rounds of 77 and 74 yesterday to finish at 11-over 151 on the par-70 Lake Spanaway layout, and the 2017 Mount Si High School grad finished well back of the top of the field. Only the top two finishers in the tournament earned berths and those two finished about 15 shots ahead of Dover with the winner from Bellingham, Jacob Knoppenberg, finishing at eight under par after a pair of 66’s. Bellevue’s Ian Siebers was the other qualifier.

Congratulations to the two qualifiers, and also a shout out to Dover as well for representing his community well in this prestigious tournament.

Now some news from the WJGA:

WJGA district tournaments start: A total of six Valley youngsters teed off yesterday in the first day of two-day Washington Junior Golf Association district championship events that double as qualifiers to their state tournament in both Kingston and Orting.

In District Two’s event at White Horse Golf Club in Kingston, Snoqualmie’s Kasey Maralack fired an 80 to finish the opening round in second place in the girls’ 14-15 age group, five shots back of leader Gihoe Seo. If she’s able to maintain this pace, it’s expected she’ll be making a trip to the state tournament in Renton in a couple of weeks. Fellow Snoqualmie resident Sage Phelps is the lone Valley boy competing in this particular tournament and he fired a 92 and is well back in the boys’ 16-18 age group after day one.

Down to Orting and the High Cedars Golf Course for the District Six event, a pair of Snoqualmie youngsters look as if they’ll probably be punching state tournament trips after today’s final round. Both Hogan Warford and Cooper Neil are sitting in the top five in the boys’ 14-15 age group, Warford in third after a round of 75 and Neil is in a tie for fourth after carding a 77. The two are both within striking distance of the leaders but if they can maintain their positions, both should make state. Also, in the boys’ 8-11 age group, Snoqualmie’s Shane Russell fired a 49 over nine holes to finish the opening day tied for sixth, so if he can perhaps improve a bit today, it’s likely he’ll also make state but his chances are not as certain as his older counterparts.

Fall City’s Cole Bostwick fired an 85 and sits in 13th in the boys’ 16-18 age bracket after day one, well back of contention. Of note as well and that is that Hogan Warford’s older brother Drew is not competing in this district event as he of course is getting ready for the biggest tournament of his young golf career – the U.S. Junior Boys’ Amateur which starts Thursday back in New Jersey. We’ll be following the Wildcat star as he represents his Valley community and looks to make a little history as well; he is as far as we know the first youngster from this area to ever compete in this tournament. We wish Drew Warford good luck back east this week. This will be by far the toughest test of his golf career, but considering some of the things he’s been able to accomplish this past year – WIAA high school state title, Pacific Northwest Golf Association junior boys’ title, WJGA state title last year – we expect he’s going to be in good shape back there and play the best he can and represent his Valley well.

Now to the diamond cuts. Youth baseball action from Gamechanger and the Gamechanger app, available on Apple IPhones and IPads in the app store.

Baseball: North Bend’s Karalus does something new, and has success
Throughout his entire professional baseball career which dates back to 2015 when Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays drafted him out of college in California, North Bend’s Reece Karalus had come out of the bullpen to pitch in relief. That all changed last night.

Karalus made his first start as a pro on the mound, playing for the Rays-affiliated Charlotte Stone Crabs in a game against fellow Valleyite Trevor Lane and his New York Yankees-affiliated Tampa Tarpons. And things went well. He pitched four innings and allowed just three hits, walked on and struck out two. As he did not make it through the requisite five innings, he did not receive a decision, but boy, he was successful and this really will aid his case for a second chance to try his luck at “AA” ball, which he struggled with to start the season in the Rays’ system before being sent back down to the Stone Crabs, who he pitched with last season. His ERA now sits at a great 2.45 and Charlotte won big 15-4 in the Florida State League game.

Lane did not pitch in last night’s contest for Tampa. Now to the rest of the action.

Youth-Boys of Summer 18U Blue 11, Taylor Baseball 1: Mount Si’s Spencer Marenco had a solid game, going 2-2 with a walk, run scored and two RBI’s as Bellevue-based Boys took care of Redmond-based Taylor in the finale of the weekend Brandy Pugh tournament at Bannerwood Park.

Youth-Washington A’s 18U Gold 9, Prospect United 0: Mount Si grad Tank Brewster pitched four innings of shutout ball for the Sammamish-based A’s in their blanking of the Puyallup-based team at Tahoma High School in Maple Valley. Brewster allowed five hits and three walks but struck out six to get the win.

College Summer-North Bender on hill in the Dakotas: North Bend’s Alden Huschle took the hill last night for his Mankato MoonDogs as they played the Bismarck Larks at Bismarck’s home field in North Dakota. The 2016 MSHS’er, pitching for Seattle University where he’ll be a junior this fall, allowed two runs on four hits and walked two in an inning and a third of relief for the Mankato squad, receiving no decision as the MoonDogs were blown out 12-4 by the Larks in the lone Northwoods League game on last night’s schedule.

College Summer-Marenco gets set to rep Valley in league All-Star Game: While big-league baseball has its All-Star game back in the other Washington tonight, the college summer West Coast League will be holding theirs as well here in our Washington, Port Angeles to be specific, and a Valleyite is getting set to be a part of it.

North Bend resident Mason Marenco, a 2017 MSHS alum and freshman this fall at Gonzaga, plays for the WCL’s Wenatchee AppleSox and he was selected to represent that team in this year’s league all-star game, which will start at 6:30 at Civic Field in downtown Port Angeles. Tickets to the thing are $5-15 if you want to drive all the way up there or you might be able to find the game on Facebook Live by searching Port Angeles Lefties. The Lefties, who are hosting the game tonight, broadcast all their home games on Facebook Live.

Good luck Mason!

Good Monday morning. Big day on the links today as you know already, with the Washington Junior Golf Association district tournaments in Kingston and Orting featuring local entrants, and the U.S. men’s Amateur qualifier down in Spanaway with North Bend’s Mitch Dover set to represent his community in that event looking for a trip to compete in the national championship tournament in California later this summer. And the events at the U.S. Junior Boys’ Amateur tournament start today in New Jersey, with Snoqualmie’s Drew Warford expected to compete in that event this coming weekend. We’ll be following it all here for you. Diamond cuts, now, with our youth baseball and softball coming from Gamechanger and the Gamechanger app, available on Apple IPhones and IPads in their app store.

Youth Baseball
Field of Champions Bears 15U Blue 9, WW Sweets 14U 3: It was all Mount Si all the time for the Preston-based Bears, as their three Wildcat reps did most of the damage for FoC in their win last night down in Kent. We’ll start with Kevin Corder. He tripled twice and doubled, coming a homer short of hitting for the cycle (single, double, triple, homer in the same game), scored four runs and drove in four more leading the Bears. The Wildcat JV’er also pitched five solid innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking two and striking out two to get the win. But don’t forget about his fellow MSHS’ers Andrew Edson or Tyler Clem.

Edson went 3-3 also with a triple, and drove in two runs, while Clem went 2-2 with a walk, three runs scored and an RBI. In all, scarlet and gray was very much on display, and it was that way to a degree as well for Sweets. Future MSHS’er Aidan Dougherty paced the Sammamish team, doubling and scoring a run.

Michael’s Toyota 16U 5, Kent Bulldogs 2: The Bellevue-based Michael’s took care of the Kent team down in Tacoma yesterday to advance to the finals of the GSL Summer Slam. Mount Si’s Parker Wutherich was 0-2 for Toyota in the contest.

Field of Champions Bears 14U Blue 1, Showtime North 0: Valleyite Caden Harris went 2-3 with a double, and fellow local Caleb Brown scored the game’s lone run, both for the Preston-based Bears as they blanked the Puyallup-based Showtime crew in Pierce County.

Federal Way Knights 17, Washington A’s 18U Elite 4 (game one, doubleheader): The Knights rolled in the first of two down at Decatur High School in Federal Way. Mount Si grad Connor Baxter was 1-2 with a run in the contest for the Sammamish-based A’s.

Washington A’s 18U Gold 3, Narrows Premier 1: 2017 Mount Si grad Nick Solomon pitched a beauty for the A’s, allowing an unearned run on five hits in a complete-game effort, striking out eight as the Sammamish team held off the Tacoma team at Tacoma Community College. Solomon will be a sophomore this fall at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.

Tacoma Tugs Premier East 4, Rippers 15U Black 1: The Tacoma team took care of the Redmond-based Rippers yesterday in Renton. Cedarcrest’s Mason Pudwill went 0-3 for the Rippers in the contest.

Boys of Summer 18U Blue 5, Chaffey Baseball 18U 2: Mount Si’s Spencer Marenco went 1-3 with a run as Bellevue-based Boys handled Chaffey in the Brandy Pugh tournament finale at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue. Cedarcest grad Aaron Davenport also played in the game for Chaffey with no official at bats recorded.

Boys of Summer 18U White 10, Seattle Wave 4: A triple and three RBI’s from Mount Si alum Trace Halvorson sparked Bellevue-based Boys to the win in their tournament finale at the GSL College Showcase event down in Centralia. He finished 1-3.

Michael’s Toyota 16U 15, Hawaii Rockies 3: Michael’s rolled to the GSL Summer Slam title last night at Curtis High School with the help of Wutherich, who had a hit and drove in three runs. Michael’s had been the top seed in the tournament’s playoffs and showed why all weekend.

Federal Way Knights 7, Washington A’s 18U Elite 5 (9) (game two, doubleheader): The Knights broke a 5-5 tie with two runs in the ninth to take the nightcap and sweep the twinbill in south King County. Baxter went 2-5 with a walk and run scored for the A’s. He also pitched three innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits, walking two and striking out one. He received no decision.

Prospect United 14, Field of Champions Bears 14U Blue 2: Harris was 1-1 with a walk for FoC as they were blown out down in Puyallup by the south Sound team; Brown went 0-2, and fellow locals Quin Patterson (0-1, walk, run) and Blake Miller (0-2), both of whom played in the first FoC game noted above earlier in the day yesterday, also played in this contest for the Bears.

Bellevue Dragons 18U Elite 10, Gulls Navy 2: Bellevue handled the opposing squad easily in their tournament finale at the GSL College Showcase in Centralia. Mount Si’s Troy Baunsgard went 1-2 with a run for the Dragons, and fellow ‘Cat Harrison Clark also played, with no official at-bats, for BDE.

Softball
A strong Saturday turns into a quick Sunday exit for Bellevue team at ASA tournament: Yesterday, we in our softball coverage noted the strong performance of the Bellevue Blast Darrow 18U fastpitch ladies, and how Mount Si’s senior-to-be shortstop Sam Simmons proved to be a key factor for their 4-0 first day of play at the Washington State Games weekend tournament in Kent. Well, that unfortunately went all out the window in a flash yesterday.

The Snohomish Shock Campbell squad pounced early on the Blast, scoring six runs in the first two innings, and cruised to a 9-3 win over the Blast that eliminated the Bellevue girls from the tournament in the single-elimination playoffs. Simmons went hitless in three at-bats for BBD but it was Inglemoor High School’s Taylor Waara that did much of the damage for the Shock. She hit two homers, driving in five runs, and also pitched a solid five innings in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits, walking four and striking out nine. She’s going to be a player to watch we think next spring for the Vikings.

College Summer Baseball
Honkers win slugfest: The Fall City-based Northwest Honkers of the Pacific International League won a slugfest over the Gresham Grey Wolves from Oregon yesterday afternoon, 16-11, in what was scheduled to be the first of two in the non-conference doubleheader with the independent Wolves at Fall City Community Park. The second game was not reported. John Wuthrich paced the Honkers, homering and driving in two runs for the local team. Duvall’s Cameron Padron did not play in the contest for NWH.

North Bend’s Marenco aids Wenatchee: Mount Si grad Mason Marenco went into the West Coast League’s All-Star break on a high note, going 2-5 for the Wenatchee AppleSox as Wenatchee doubled up Bellingham 6-3 up at Joe Martin Field last night in Bellingham in the final game before the break for both WCL teams. Marenco, from North Bend, will be repping Wenatchee in the All-Star game tomorrow night in Port Angeles. He is hitting a solid .286 on the season for the Sox, who go into the break at 13-19 on the season.

Valley pair pace Pickles: The Portland Pickles once again got contributions from both of their Valley players in a win last night, beating Kelowna in a WCL game at Lents Park in the Rose City 8-2. North Bend’s Carson Breshears, a Mount Si HS alum, went 2-4 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI for the Pickles and is now hitting .324, while Duvall’s Adam Davenport allowed his first earned runs of the summer in an inning of work last night – he allowed two runs, just one of them earned on two hits – but received no decision and the Cedarcrest HS grad maintains a continued strong ERA of 1.23. Neither player will be competing in the ASG in Port Angeles tomorrow.