Klahowya fights off rain and a late Kingston rally to secure a 4-3 victory

SILVERDALE — It’s uncertain if the rain or Kingston’s final-inning rally was the bigger threat to a potential Klahowya victory, but the Eagles fought off both to pick up a big non-league win Monday.

Conditions were dry at first pitch, but the precipitation steadily picked up over the course of the afternoon, shortening the game to five innings.

Klahowya starter Logan Prater looked poised to pick up the complete game, but was forced to exit with one out in the fifth after taking a line drive off the shin. Prater finished with seven strikeouts and gave up two earned runs in 4.1 innings of work.

That hit by Tyler Bates went for a single, putting runners on first and second as previous batter Terefa Rutherford had also reached on a base hit. But Wallis came on in relief and induced a 4-6-3 double play to secure the victory.

The Eagles had gone ahead the previous half-inning on an RBI-single by Hunter Wallis. Jacob Manavie singled with one out and moved up to second on a stolen base, then third on a wild pitch. Wallis blasted a ball back up the middle for a base hit to put his team in front.

“The kids fought hard and kept battling,” said Klahowya head coach Eddie Beloate. “We’ve got to be more aggressive at the plate and stay in that aggressive mode.”

Klahowya jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Tanyr Gagnon and Wallis drew back-to-back walks and moved up to second and third on the double steal. Josh Cole then walked to load the bases. Wallis and Gagnon both scored on wild pitches and Cole, having moved up to third, scored on a balk.

The Bucs answered back in the top of the third thanks to a long double by Leif Whalen, which he smashed over the center fielder’s head. Jack Hermanson then hit a fly ball to right field that couldn’t be tracked down and Whalen scored to tie the game.

The one-run triumph improved the Eagles’ record to 3-2 on the season, matching their win total from 2018.

“If we eliminate the strikeout and put pressure on the defense and eliminate our errors and mistakes, we’ll be in every game we play,” said Beloate.

Klahowya 4, Kingston 3 (five innings)

KI 0 0 3 0 0 — 3 3 2

KL 0 3 1 0 x — 4 5 0

WP: Prater LP: Rappaport SV: Wallis

Pitching

Kingston — Rappaport 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 K; Ives 1.1 IP, H, BB.

Klahowya — Prater 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; Wallis .2 IP.

Hitting

Kingston — Whalen 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R; Bates 2-3, R; Delos Reyes 1-2, SB, R; Rutherford 1-2.

Klahowya — Wallis 1-1, BB, 2 SB, RBI, R; Mjor 1-1, BB; Gagnon, 0-0, 2 BB, 2 SB, R; Manavie 1-2, SB, R; Cole 0-1, BB, R.