Trappers Bounce Back for Third in MBI

After suffering a tough loss 6-5 to Washougal in the semi-finals, the Trappers bounced back for a 10-1 win over Ilwaco to finish in third place at the Max Beatty Invitational on Saturday. Overall, the Trappers played well and had a ton of positives to build on for the season. 

Game 1: Washougal 6, Fort Vancouver 5

Washougal came out swinging and scored a run in the top of the first using two hits and an error to take a 1-0 lead early. Senior starting pitcher Evan Siegel settled down from there and held the Panthers scoreless over the next three innings, giving the Trappers a chance to respond.  That’s exactly what they did in the top of the third inning when senior catcher Joe Endonino led off with a hustle double down the line and scored on an RBI single from Nick Laurenza. After an error and a fielders choice, a single from Tyler Runkle drove in Laurenza and a double from Zeke Block plated Runkle to give the Trappers a 3-1 lead. Washougal threatened with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Siegel got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground ball. The right-hander finished his day with four innings pitched, one unearned run given up, and four strikeouts.  The Trapper bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, however, as Washougal scored four runs in the 5th inning to take a 5-3 advantage. Fort got one back when Pepper Stokes singled to lead off the 6th and scored on an error. Unfortunately, after Washougal scored an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th, the Trappers could only get one run back in the top of the seventh for the final margin of 6-5. 

Game 2: Fort Vancouver 10, Ilwaco 1

Sophomore starting pitcher Brodie Coates dominated in his first start of 2018, holding Washougal to just one run on just four hits while striking out six over four innings. The right hander walked only one in picking up his first win of the season. Offensively, it was the bottom of the Trapper order who did most of the damage against the Fisherman. Six through nine hitters Pepper Stokes, Coates, Austin Real-James and Jackson Butterfield accounted for eight of the ten Trapper runs in the game. Each of the four players scored twice in the contest and were all of the scoring in the four run 2nd inning that gave the Traps an early advantage.  In this game, the bullpen was solid in relief of their starter and helped Fort breath easily over the last three innings. Sophomore Justin Vernon gave up a mere one hit over two innings of work and Joe Endonino struck out the side in the seventh to secure the victory. 

With the split, the Trappers start the season 1-1 and will next be in action on Friday, March 16th, at the Seaside Seagull Tournament in Seaside, Oregon.