SEQUIM TAKES 5TH AT FIRECRACKER

Sequim Gazette

Posted 7/19/07

Pitcher Spencer Middleton works against a North Kitsap team at the Wilder Baseball Firecracker Tournament last weekend. Photos by Michael Dashiell

By Michael Dashiell
Staff writer

Sequim Senior Baseball coach Dan Perry said before the tourney he hoped his young squad could get at least two wins at the annual Wilder Firecracker Classic last weekend.

Mission accomplished.

The team of predominantly 15- and 16-year-olds crushed Buck’s A&W of South Kitsap on July 6 and topped Bainbridge Island on Sunday for an overall 2-2 record.

“I’m a happy camper,” Perry joked this week. “For as young as we are, we did real well.”

Sequim opened the tourney with a tough draw, falling to North Kitsap 12-3. Max Royall, Spencer Middleton and Goose Mildenberger picked up hits, while Mildenberger and Phillip Lepper had RBIs, but North Kitsap scored seven runs in the first four innings.

Lepper, Sequim’s catcher, threw out three would-be base-stealers in the loss, while Matt Bereiter provided solid relief on the mound.

A day later, Mildenberger tossed a complete game shutout and the Sequim offense exploded for a 10-0 victory. Middleton hit a triple.

On Saturday, Sequim fell to the Shockers Baseball Club of Seattle, 11-1. Thom pitched.

On Sunday, the medal round, Mildenberger took to the mound and again proved tough as Sequim stopped Bainbridge Island 6-2. Matt Holloway drove in a crucial run.

Perry said several Sequim players performed well during the tourney, including Lepper (four caught-stealers at second and four hits), Matt Holland (“He’s working real hard to improve his skills at shortstop; he’s stealing bases, getting on base,” Perry said), Jonathan Thom (third baseman who threw a one-hit game as a pitcher in Tacoma earlier this year), Spencer Middleton, Max Royall (a good contact hitter who plays excellent center field, Perry noted), Reed Omdall and Ben Omdall.

“It’s a good group of kids; they work hard,” Perry said. “They have a good group of parents too, which helps.”

Sequim Senior Baseball is back in action this weekend in Gig Harbor and has some games to play with Bainbridge Island’s club before finishing the season in Tacoma the last weekend in July.

Wilder Firecracker Classic
Final results
1. Wilder Baseball Club
2. North Kitsap
3. South Hill Stingers (Puyallup)
4. Shockers Baseball Club (Seattle)
5. Sequim
6. Bainbridge Island
7. Victoria Mariners
8. Buck’s A&W (South Kitsap)
How Sequim fared:
July 5 — North Kitsap 12, Sequim 3
July 6 — Sequim 10, Buck’s A&W (South Kitsap) 0
July 7 — Shockers (Seattle) 11, Sequim 1
July 8 — Sequim 6, Bainbridge Island 2