After dispatching Centralia twice already, the W.F. West baseball team was able to complete the sweep Thursday in a 15-2 five inning victory at home.
The Bearcats got their run-game going from the jump, getting after Tiger starter Landen Jenkins and putting up six in the first frame.
After the teams exchanged two runs in the second and third innings, W.F. West put the finishing touches on the rivalry with seven runs in the fourth inning and a shutout top of the fifth.
After a tough couple of games against Tumwater and Rochester before this series, 35 runs in two days is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Bearcats.
“It was really good to see us rebound after a couple of tough games,” Bearcats coach Bryan Bullock said. “It was really nice to rebound and come out swinging the bats like I know we’re capable of.”
The Bearcats peppered 10 hits across the field Thursday, and took advantage of three Tiger errors, something that W.F. West hadn’t been doing enough against the Thunderbirds and Warriors earlier in the week.
Logan Moore started on the mound, pitching four innings with two earned runs on three hits and six strikeouts, while also sending four RBIs across home plate, and Riggs Westlund added a 1 for 3 line with three RBIs. Deacon Meller went 2 for 3 with three runs scored and two RBIs.
“Putting up that many runs, we were given a lot of opportunities,” Bullock said. “But taking advantage of those opportunities was something we hadn’t been capitalizing on. We had guys step up and deliver in those situations. It’s been up and down the lineup, everyone’s contributing.”
Bullock said his entire lineup played well against the Tigers, but singled out Moore’s steadiness, Gavin Fugate’s good week, and Meller and Avery Staloh for stepping up.
The Tigers, meanwhile, couldn’t get much going in either game of this mini-series, getting outscored 35-3 over two games with the Bearcats. After a 20-1 loss Wednesday, the Tigers mustered three hits and two runs Thursday.
Moshie Eport got the Tigers going with a hit right off the bat in the first inning, but it was tough sledding afterwards, with Von Wasson and Jenkins knocking in runs in the third inning.
Jenkins started for Centralia, and went three innings with just three earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
The Bearcats (12-5, 6-4 2A EvCo) will take on Tumwater on the road Friday in a non-league matchup, before closing out the league season against Black Hills in a series starting Tuesday.
The Tigers (5-8, 3-5 2A EvCo) have to make up a couple of Aberdeen games this weekend before closing out the regular season against Tumwater on Monday and Tuesday.
