In an exhibition of balance at the plate, I-5 Toyota Mountain Dew got off to a hot start in the first round of the AA American Legion state tournament in Selah, defeating Blaine, 13-4, Saturday afternoon.
Mountain Dew worked through some pitch count rules to preserve arms for the rest of the tournament, pulling starter Brady Sprague after 3 ⅓ innings, and Hyde Parrish with just two outs left in the seventh. Tate Quarnstrom finished the final two outs, inducing a double play to end it.
Sprague was solid as the starter, holding Blaine to just three hits with five strikeouts and three runs, with two earned. Parrish allowed five hits over 2 ⅔ innings, but held Blaine to just one run the rest of the way.
At the plate, every Mountain Dew player scored a run, and were again led by the top of the order. After a scoreless first two innings, Conner Holmes, Austin Chapman, and Sprague each got on base and scored, and the rest of Mountain Dew’s lineup followed suit, with seven total runs in a breakthrough third.
Hunter Niemi had two RBIs for Mountain Dew, and Avery Staloh and Ashton Demarest each added RBIs of their own.
“The top of our order has been hitting the ball really well,” coach Kyle Sprague said. “If we can get Holmes and Chapman on, Brady or Tate Quarnstrom can normally drive them in. If the top of our lineup is setting the table, we’re in pretty good position.”
Mountain Dew will take on the winner of the Yakima Valley Peppers and Mead tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Selah in the state quarterfinals.
