New leaders stepping up for Medical Lake baseball

Medical Lake's baseball team is getting the kind of leadership their coach thought was present.

But Kerry Kelly would love to get wins, too. The Cardinals finished 1-2 in the first week of Northeast A League play in games played between March 22 – 26. They opened with a 10-3 win at Newport, March 22, but dropped a doubleheader to visiting Colville 6-5 in nine innings and 10-5 in the second game last Saturday at Holliday Field.

"When I say the names Brayden Hale, Cole Soliday, Tristen Keith, I expect those guys to step up," Kelly said. And each did.

"Game one, Brayden pitched a great game," Kelly said. "We extended him probably a little further than we really wanted to."

Hale had 108 pitches on the day. The 6-5 loss spoiled the effort on the mound from Hale who went 6 1/3 innings, struck out seven and gave up just three earned runs.

"We couldn't get through that last inning; I think we made four errors," Kelly said of the opener at Holliday Field versus Colville. "We just couldn't close it out," nor could they get any offense. The Cardinals had just six hits with Keith the only batter for ML with two hits.

It was defense that both did them in, and extended their life. The Cardinals (1-2 NEA, 4-2 overall) committed seven errors, and combined with four leadoff walks, that led to four runs for Colville. The Indians rallied from a 4-2 deficit with three runs in the top of the seventh and led 5-4.

Medical Lake scrapped back with a two-out rally that got them the tie in their half of the seventh. And while Cory Wagner can't play in the field because of a fractured right thumb, he was still able to contribute.

Wagner was inserted as a pinch runner, with the hope his speed could disrupt Colville's defense. And it did.

First Wagner stole second base. Then, with Wagner off to a running start trying to steal third, No. 8 batter, Drew Hostetter hit a ball that Colville misplayed allowing Wagner to race home to tie the game.

"He did exactly what I thought he could do in that situation," Kelly said.

In game-two Medical Lake led early but had the tie broken as Colville (3-0, 4-2 overall) scored two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and a pair in the seventh for the cushion.

Hale was the batting star on game two going 3 for 4 with a pair of runs scored. His day included a triple. Philip Murray had a hit and three RBIs.

"Brayden Hale had a great game, both games," Kelly said. "He pitched well, he hit well all day."

Both games Saturday were matters of lost opportunities, Kelly said.

"Had we executed with a bunt we have runners at second and third, we have one out and the percentages go up," Kelly explained. "We don't execute so you're sitting at two outs, runner at second trying to get a big hit; those are huge, huge opportunities lost."

At Newport the Cardinals, behind the 3-for-4 day from Soliday and multiple hits from Hale and Hostetter, scored a pair of runs in their first at bat, added three more in the second inning and cruised. Hale, who had three RBIs also had a double, as did Tyler Munden in a 12-hit attack.

"Cole Soliday is another player that has been playing well,' Kelly said.

Medical Lake was home against Newport this past Tuesday, March 28 and visits Chewelah for a single 4 p.m. game today. They stay on the road for a doubleheader Saturday against Cashmere, a perennial playoff team.

Then the team is off until April 12, giving Wagner time to finish his rehab and return to both pitching and shortstop duties.

"When we looked at the timing of the injury, this was great," Kelly said. "Might as well do it early."

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].