Mudville Baseball NW 18U wins Triple Crown National title
Mercer Island’s only 18U select team, Mudville Baseball NW (42-19, 5-2) has captured the 2008 Triple Crown National 18U Championship defeating the No. 1 seed, Lone Peak Knights of Alpine, Utah, 6-1 in the championship game. After a 1-2 start in the Round Robin portion of the event, Mudville made the necessary offensive and defensive adjustments, winning four straight games in four days to capture the national championship at Supliezio Field, home of the National Junior College World Series. Mudville struggled initially in the seeding rounds to qualify in the double elimination event. Mercer Islander Cam Wilson won the only game of the Round Robin play, defeating the Newcastle Blue Sox (CO) 11-2. Wilson struck out six and walked two, not allowing an earned run.
Tied 1-1 in the championship game, Mudville catcher Steve Kirbach gave the necessary offensive lift in the top of the fifth inning as the Juanita all-state selection catcher drove a 1-0 offering over the right centerfield wall at Supliezio to give the Mudville Nine a 4-1 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. Whitworth College-bound James King started the game for Mudville and pitched three innings, striking out three and not allowing an earned run. King had dominated Lone Peak 8-0 earlier in the week in semifinal play.
Mercer Islander and Eastside Catholic junior, Matt Boyd, tossed the final four innings, striking out six and not allowing a hit for his second win of the double elimination play. The 2008 First-team all-state high school selection from Eastside Catholic High School pitched a one-hitter against the No. 4-seeded Fruita Monument High School Wildcats, 5-0, in the opening round of play. Boyd carried a perfect game into the fifth inning before walking his only batter.
After three consecutive shutouts, Lone Peak took the lead early in the second inning on a Mudville throwing error, their first in elimination play. In the top of the third, Boyd, the starting first baseman, drove in the tying run on a sacrifice fly to deep right to knot the game at one until Kirbach’s monumental blast in the fifth. Mudville added another insurance run with another sacrifice fly from Boyd. This was preceded by a Lone Peak miscue and ground-rule double from Nevada-Reno bound third baseman Joe Kohan over the left centerfield fence.
Kohan was awarded the Defensive MVP, and Daniel Schmidt was awarded the Offensive MVP. Also making the all-tournament team with King, Kirbach and Boyd, were starting infielders Brad Binder, Mercer Islander Dave Courtney and game No. 3 starting pitcher Jake Haight, who blanked the No. 2 seed and hometown favorites Gene Taylors in the Winner Bracket Final, 8-0.
This is the second national championship in five years for this core of Mudville players, who turn 18 next season.
Other Game Summaries
In game No. 1: Mudville knocked off No. 4 Fruita Wildcats, 5-0 at Central High School in Grand Junction. Boyd pitched five innings of one-hit balls, striking out four and picking off the only two base runners to reach first base. Joe Kohan and Will Minice added one inning of hitless relief. Catcher Steve Kirbach picked up two hits, including an RBI. Dave Courtney, Willy Reel and Tommy Castle contributed with RBI doubles.
In game No. 2: Mudville beat the No. 1 seed, Lone Peak Knights of Provo, Utah, 8-0 behind the pitching of ace starter James King (four innings) and reliever Ricky Teegarden (two innings). Mudville mercy-run ruled the top seed in the sixth inning via Designated Hitter Dave Courtney’s and third baseman Joe Kohan’s two-RBI doubles.
In game No. 3: Starter Jake Haight pitched a complete game, two-hit shutout, defeating the No. 2 seed and home town favorites Gene Taylors 8-0. Haight had four strikeouts with two walks. Daniel Schmidt had four hits and driving in four runs. Brad Binder reached base safely three times. Mudville played errorless ball for the second straight game.
Triple Crown
Double Elimination Play
Mudville 6,
Lone Peak Knights (UT) 1
Mudville 8,
Gene Taylors (CO) 0
Mudville 8,
Lone Peak Knights (UT) 0
Mudville 5,
Fruita Wildcats (CO) 0
Triple Crown
Round Robin Play
Mudville 11,
Newcastle Blue Sox (CO) 2
Gene Taylors (CO) 2,
Mudville 1
West Jordan Jaguars (UT) 7,
Mudville 5
Free basketball clinics for girls
MI Girls Basketball (MIGB) is offering free clinics for all girls in fourth through eighth grade. Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade clinics will be from 5:30 – 7 p.m., Aug. 21, and 7 – 8:30 p.m., Aug. 25 at the Mercer Island Boys & Girls Club. The clinics will be run by the fifth and sixth-grade Select Coaches.
At the clinics, MIGBC will introduce Jennie Rondel, former Lake Washington girls varsity coach, as the new fifth-grade coach. Sixth-grade Select Coaches Matt Price and Dawn Wilson will also participate.
The seventh- and eighth-grade clinics will be from 5:30 – 7 p.m., Tuesday, at Islander Middle School, and 5:30 – 7 p.m., Aug. 26, at the MIBGC. The seventh and eight-grade coaches will run the clinics. MIGBC will introduce Sean Barton, former Junior WNBA and Junior NBA coach, as the new eighth-grade coach. Also coaching will be Brad Knowles, seventh-grade Select coach.
The clinics are free and open to all Island girls or MISD students. For more information, call Christa Lilly at (206) 818-7622.
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