Sports briefs

Mudville SP, the Mercer Island-based 13U select baseball team, went 4-0 to win the Championship trophy of the “Early Bird Classic” baseball tournament near Bellingham on April 12-13.

Mudville SP wins Bellingham baseball tournament

Mudville SP, the Mercer Island-based 13U select baseball team, went 4-0 to win the Championship trophy of the “Early Bird Classic” baseball tournament near Bellingham on April 12-13.

Facing teams from across western Washington, Mudville SP responded to several challenges by playing superbly in all facets of the game throughout the tournament, ultimately never trailing at any point in any game and winning two games by mercy rule, including the championship game.

SP pitchers struck out 28 opponents in 24 innings while issuing just 10 walks and had a team ERA for the tournament of 2.25. In pool play on Saturday, Adam Cline and Andrew Summerville combined to take a no-hitter into the sixth inning of the first game, while Ben Wessel and Hayden Lee together fired a one-hit shutout in the 11-0 second game victory. Advancing to the semi-finals on Sunday morning, Cline, Alex Emanuels and Wessel overwhelmed a strong select team from Bellingham with 11 K’s in seven innings to win 6-2, and then all three returned to the mound on Sunday night and dominated the championship game en route to a 16-2 triumph.

Offensively, the team overall hit .390, with a team on-base percentage of .522, scoring 41 runs in the four games. Every player had multiple hits, all were on base at least three times, everyone scored, and nine of 10 drove in and scored multiple runs. Summerville led the charge for SP, hitting a sizzling 9-for-13 (.692) with six extra base hits. Glenn Sherman belted two doubles and a triple while hitting .583, and both Brian Higgins and Wessel banged out seven hits.

Defensively, Matt Orehek was spectacular at shortstop and teamed with second baseman Logan Barton-Rowledge and third baseman Sean Casey to handle 29 chances between them without an error. Higgins, catching every inning, gunned down two would-be base stealers, while Lee and Summerville both ran down long drives in the outfield and each also made rally-killing perfect pegs to nab baserunners.

Mudville SP begins Koufax league play on April 19 on the road versus Bainbridge Island, having wrapped up non-league play this year with a record of 9-1. Their first home game is against Kent, Sunday, May 4, at 5:30 at Island Crest Park.

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