The clouds finally parted for the Kentridge High baseball team Tuesday afternoon.
Despite more than a week off due to rainy weather, the Chargers proved to be in midseason form. Craig Rasmussen collected two hits and drove in three runs while Matt Jackson worked five strong innings on the mound, leading Kentridge past Thomas Jefferson 8-4 in a South Puget Sound League North Division game.
“It’s really big,” Kentridge coach John Flanigan said of the win. “You look at Kentwood, Tahoma and Kentlake as the upper tier of the league. Us, Federal Way, Jefferson and the Auburn schools are going to be fighting for two of those final (playoff) spots. Every single (win) you get is huge. You try and beat the teams that are even with you.”
Rasmussen gave Kentridge an instant 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the first inning. He added an RBI double in the fifth inning, when Kentridge took a commanding 6-1 lead. Hayden Njos added an RBI single in the sixth, pushing Kentridge’s lead to 7-2.
Those runs proved plenty for Jackson, a senior, who allowed two runs over five strong innings of work.
“He threw well for us,” Flanigan said. “He did a good job.”
Due to poor weather, it was Kentridge’s first game in more than a week.
But the Chargers continued to swing hot bats on Wednesday, throttling Auburn 12-5. It wasn’t all power bats, however, as the Chargers pulled off a double-suicide squeeze in the second inning. Kentridge’s Cory Hamada delivered a picture-perfect bunt down the third base line, scoring Jordan Miguel from third base. Jason Didis, on second base, got a huge jump toward third base off Auburn pitcher Zac Tate and didn’t hesitate going home when Tate wheeled around and threw to first base.
“It was picture perfect,” Flanigan said.
Didis and Ian Anderson collected three hits apiece in the win. Hamada and Andrew Martin each drove home a pair of runs.
Shayne Mathews struck out four and allowed all five Auburn runs in six innings of work to pick up the win. With the win, the Chargers (4-1) moved a game back of Kentwood (5-1) in the win column for the top spot in the North. Kentwood suffered its first North Division loss of the season Wednesday night, falling to Jefferson (4-3) 11-0 in five innings.
Neither Kentridge nor Kentwood play against until Tuesday, April 14. Kentridge will play host to Federal Way while Kentwood will travel to Auburn. Both games are slated for 4 p.m.
Sitting right behind Kentwood and a game up on Kentlake is nice, Flanigan conceded, but not something to get too worked up over just yet.
“I’ll take it,” the coach said. “But we still haven’t played two of the big boys.”
• ALSO: Kentlake’s offense has turned it up a gear since the season began. On Tuesday, the Falcons blistered Federal Way 12-7. It’s the third-straight game Kentlake has scored 12 or more runs in a game. The Eagles couldn’t contain Kentlake shortstop Bobby Joe Tannehill, who went 5-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. Brandon Cinkovich added a pair of hits and five RBIs for the Falcons. Both Tannehill and Cinkovich continued to swing hot bats on Wednesday in a 24-2 win over Kent-Meridian. Tannehill went 4-for-5 with three run scored while Cinkovich went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and a home run. Miles Nagel supplied the biggest bat of all, however, swatting a pair of home runs. Ryan Esping also delivered a home run for the Falcons. … After having a bye on Tuesday, Kentwood simply couldn’t find any sort of a groove on Wednesday in an 11-0, five-inning loss to Jefferson. Jefferson pitcher Jeff Brigham no-hit the Conquerors, who came into the day unbeaten in league play, a stretch that includes wins over Tahoma and Kentlake.
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