In a strong shutout performance, the I-5 Jeep Renegades defeated the Wilder Baseball Club of Port Angeles, 8-0, Sunday in a winner’s bracket contest of the Junior A American Legion state tournament at Bearcat Stadium in Chehalis.
After needing a comeback, 9-5, victory over their first round opponent Saturday, the Renegades didn’t have nearly as much trouble defensively against Wilder. Danner Hoinowski started on the bump, and was effective, getting himself out of jams with groundouts.
Hoinowski threw 6 ⅓ innings, with 10 strikeouts and 15 first pitch strikes. Catcher Alex Stafford relieved him in the seventh for the final two outs.
At the plate, the Renegade bats came alive quicker than Saturday, too, with Cal Bullock hitting a two-out single to reach base, and Carlos Vallejo knocking him in with a shot to left field that nearly hit the fence. Miles Martin followed up Vallejo’s double with another base hit to score Vallejo, and after three, the Renegades led 2-0.
Vallejo ended up with three RBIs, followed by Martin’s two and another from Weston Potter. Vallejo, Bullock, and Brooks Ledgerwood each had multiple hits, as well.
The Renegades will advance to play the North Idaho Lakers in a battle between the lone unbeaten teams in the tournament. The squads will play at 6 p.m. Monday in Chehalis. The Lakers are fresh off a 16-9 win over the Yakima Bees Sunday.
