WARRIORS EARN HOME DATE AT STATE
Dan Wolfe and Eric Gantenbein combined on the mound to limit Rainier to four hits, while combining at the plate for three hits, five runs and three RBI's as the Warriors defeated the Columbians 10-5 in a seeding playoff game at Huddleston Field Saturday.
With the win, the Warriors earn a home game to open the state playoffs, welcoming the PacWest Conference runner-up Santiam Christian Eagles to town on Tuesday. Rainier will travel to Beaverton to face West Valley League champion Valley Catholic in the opening round of the 3A State Tournament.
One thing Wolfe and Gantenbein could not do is stop Rainier's power-hitting senior first baseman Billy Zimmerman, one of those players you can only, "hope to contain".
Zimmerman hit a deep home run to centerfield in his first at bat against Wolfe when a fastball tailed back over the plate about belt high. The future Eastern Oregon football player hit a much better pitch in the fourth inning, but the result was the same, as Zimmerman got the end of his bat on a Wolfe curve and managed to muscle it over the fence in left center for his 14th home run of the season, which likely leads the state.
Fortunately for Warrenton's senior hurlers, while Zimmerman did the majority of the damage for the Columbians, Warrenton's offense came alive and put runs on the board in every inning.
After taking advantage of a three walks and a Rainier error to score two unearned runs in the first, Gantenbein gave Warrenton a 5-2 lead with a 3-run home run in the second inning, his eighth of the season.
Leading 6-2 after Billy Sturgell's 2-out RBI single in the third, Zimmerman's second poke of the game cut the Warriors lead to 6-3. The Warriors responded swiftly as Wolfe led off the fourth inning with a single, Gantenbein walked and Nathan Massey plated both with a 2-run single after a Dalton Earlywine wild pitch advanced both runners.
Sturgell delivered his second run batted in of the game with an RBI double in the fifth, scoring Michael Moore. Moore added an RBI groundout in the sixth inning to plate Buddy Davis after a leadoff single.
"I was pleased with our offense today," said head coach Lennie Wolfe. "We moved people over the way we needed to and it seemed like every time we got a runner to third we put the ball in play to the middle so we could score them."
Zimmerman's third at bat of the game might have been the most impressive. With Gantenbein relieving Wolfe to begin the fifth inning, the Columbians loaded the bases with one out. Gantenbein threw three pitches off the plate trying to get the patient first sacker to chase, before coach Wolfe gave the call to put him on intentionally, forcing in a run. That's a tribute last seen when Buck Showalter was coaching the Arizona Diamondbacks and chose not to pitch to Barry Bonds.
"I don't think there were too many people here who felt like that was the wrong move," said Wolfe.
In retrospect, it was probably a brilliant decision. Gantenbein struck out Nate Marsh swinging on a 2-2 pitch and retired Garrett Karnoski on a harmless ground out to second, leaving the bases loaded and preserving an 8-4 Warrenton lead.
The Columbians added an unearned run in the sixth before Zimmerman came to the plate one final time to face Gantenbein, flying out to deep center field. After the out, Gantenbein and Wolfe, now playing shortstop, shared a few words.
"I was just excited that I finally got him out," said Gantenbein. "I told him I was going to keep the ball since we finally got him out and that was going to be my ball from now on. It's always nice when you can get him out, especially the way he's hitting. He's locked in and he's hit us well. That was his sixth home run off us this year. He's got our number."
Wolfe allowed only one hit over four innings other than Zimmerman's two round trippers, striking out two and walking one to record his 29th career win, tying Danny McFadden's school record. Gantenbein went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and three RBI's, allowing one his over the final three innings.
Warrenton and Santiam Christian will meet for the first time since the Warriors upset the top-ranked Crusaders at Warrenton in the 2001 state quarterfinals. Game time is to be announced. The winner will travel to Burns to take on the top-ranked Hilanders on Friday.
RAINIER 0-2-0-1-1-1-0 5-4-1
WARRENTON 2-3-1-2-1-1 10-8-3
W-Wolfe (4ip, 3h, 3r, 2er, 2k, bb)
L-Earlywine (4ip, 5h, 8r, 6er, k, 5bb, 2hp, 2wp)
E-Zytniowski, K. Moore, Wolfe, Gantenbein. LOB-Rainier 6, Warrenton 7. 2B-Sturgell, Torres. HR-Zimmerman 2, Gantenbein. S-Tripp, Earlywine, Slaughter 2, Davis. SF-Jackson. SB-Karnoski, Tripp, Zytniowski, Wolfe, Davis, Sturgell. PB-Massey.
With the win, the Warriors earn a home game to open the state playoffs, welcoming the PacWest Conference runner-up Santiam Christian Eagles to town on Tuesday. Rainier will travel to Beaverton to face West Valley League champion Valley Catholic in the opening round of the 3A State Tournament.
One thing Wolfe and Gantenbein could not do is stop Rainier's power-hitting senior first baseman Billy Zimmerman, one of those players you can only, "hope to contain".
Zimmerman hit a deep home run to centerfield in his first at bat against Wolfe when a fastball tailed back over the plate about belt high. The future Eastern Oregon football player hit a much better pitch in the fourth inning, but the result was the same, as Zimmerman got the end of his bat on a Wolfe curve and managed to muscle it over the fence in left center for his 14th home run of the season, which likely leads the state.
Fortunately for Warrenton's senior hurlers, while Zimmerman did the majority of the damage for the Columbians, Warrenton's offense came alive and put runs on the board in every inning.
After taking advantage of a three walks and a Rainier error to score two unearned runs in the first, Gantenbein gave Warrenton a 5-2 lead with a 3-run home run in the second inning, his eighth of the season.
Leading 6-2 after Billy Sturgell's 2-out RBI single in the third, Zimmerman's second poke of the game cut the Warriors lead to 6-3. The Warriors responded swiftly as Wolfe led off the fourth inning with a single, Gantenbein walked and Nathan Massey plated both with a 2-run single after a Dalton Earlywine wild pitch advanced both runners.
Sturgell delivered his second run batted in of the game with an RBI double in the fifth, scoring Michael Moore. Moore added an RBI groundout in the sixth inning to plate Buddy Davis after a leadoff single.
"I was pleased with our offense today," said head coach Lennie Wolfe. "We moved people over the way we needed to and it seemed like every time we got a runner to third we put the ball in play to the middle so we could score them."
Zimmerman's third at bat of the game might have been the most impressive. With Gantenbein relieving Wolfe to begin the fifth inning, the Columbians loaded the bases with one out. Gantenbein threw three pitches off the plate trying to get the patient first sacker to chase, before coach Wolfe gave the call to put him on intentionally, forcing in a run. That's a tribute last seen when Buck Showalter was coaching the Arizona Diamondbacks and chose not to pitch to Barry Bonds.
"I don't think there were too many people here who felt like that was the wrong move," said Wolfe.
In retrospect, it was probably a brilliant decision. Gantenbein struck out Nate Marsh swinging on a 2-2 pitch and retired Garrett Karnoski on a harmless ground out to second, leaving the bases loaded and preserving an 8-4 Warrenton lead.
The Columbians added an unearned run in the sixth before Zimmerman came to the plate one final time to face Gantenbein, flying out to deep center field. After the out, Gantenbein and Wolfe, now playing shortstop, shared a few words.
"I was just excited that I finally got him out," said Gantenbein. "I told him I was going to keep the ball since we finally got him out and that was going to be my ball from now on. It's always nice when you can get him out, especially the way he's hitting. He's locked in and he's hit us well. That was his sixth home run off us this year. He's got our number."
Wolfe allowed only one hit over four innings other than Zimmerman's two round trippers, striking out two and walking one to record his 29th career win, tying Danny McFadden's school record. Gantenbein went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and three RBI's, allowing one his over the final three innings.
Warrenton and Santiam Christian will meet for the first time since the Warriors upset the top-ranked Crusaders at Warrenton in the 2001 state quarterfinals. Game time is to be announced. The winner will travel to Burns to take on the top-ranked Hilanders on Friday.
RAINIER 0-2-0-1-1-1-0 5-4-1
WARRENTON 2-3-1-2-1-1 10-8-3
W-Wolfe (4ip, 3h, 3r, 2er, 2k, bb)
L-Earlywine (4ip, 5h, 8r, 6er, k, 5bb, 2hp, 2wp)
E-Zytniowski, K. Moore, Wolfe, Gantenbein. LOB-Rainier 6, Warrenton 7. 2B-Sturgell, Torres. HR-Zimmerman 2, Gantenbein. S-Tripp, Earlywine, Slaughter 2, Davis. SF-Jackson. SB-Karnoski, Tripp, Zytniowski, Wolfe, Davis, Sturgell. PB-Massey.
posted by Matt Richert at 8:29 PM
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