2B Baseball: Kuzminsky Leads Toledo Past PWV to Final Four

MOSSYROCK — Wes Kuzminsky’s specific goal, at the outset of his junior season in Toledo, was to see his Indians make the final four.

He went out of his way to make it happen here on Saturday.

Kuzminsky got the win on the mound and went 3 for 4 at the plate to lead Toledo to a 6-2 win over Pe Ell-Willapa Valley in the Region II championship game, putting the Indians in the state semifinals for the first time since 2001.

And, after a quick postgame speech and surprise ice shower for first-year Toledo coach Jeff Davis, the senior pitcher/shortstop was all grins.

“It feels really good,” he said. “I was stressed until like the last second.”

The game was a rematch of a District 4 semifinal, which PWV had won nine days prior, on the same field, by a 5-4 margin in 11 innings — after the teams split a regular-season Central 2B League doubleheader.

Toledo’s 10-3 win over Wilbur-Creston on Saturday morning, and PWV’s 8-7 win over Life Christian Saturday afternoon, set up the postseason rematch.

“We felt like we were a better team. They’re obviously like a really good ballclub, but we came in here hot from the last game, too,” Kuzminsky said. “We started off slow the first game, but we just kind of kept it going.”

Kuzminsky gave up six hits with six strikeouts in six innings, with just one walk. Only the second of the two runs he allowed was earned, and it crossed the plate when a high two-out fly ball dropped untouched between a trio of fielders in shallow left field in the third frame.

“The first two innings I wasn’t feeling my curveball and my off-speed stuff,” Kuzminsky said. “After that I settled in, and my off-speed stuff was working a little better.”

He struck out the next batter to end the inning, and fanned four more over the next three frames.

“We knew he’s the best pitcher they have, and he threw a heck of a ballgame,” PWV coach Hal Arrington said. “He kept us off balance with the changeup, the curve and the fastball, and he wasn’t walking nobody.”

Toledo, meanwhile, picked up 2 runs in the second inning on a walk, a single by Dalton Yoder and RBI single from Jackson Kuzminsky and Konner Crawford.

Wes Kuzminsky led off the third inning with a bunt single, and a bunt from Austin Eaton set up a single from Dakota Robins that was mishandled twice, with each error helping Toledo to a run. Yoder then singled to bring in another run, giving the Indians a 5-2 lead and prompting Arrington to bring in a reliever for Titan starter Red Arrington.

The younger Arrington had made a surprise relief appearance in the sixth inning to pick up the save against Life Christian about two hours earlier.

“That might have had something to do with it, but he was a little flat,” the coach said. “The kids feed off of red. When Red struggles, everybody struggles.”

Arrington had worked into the 10th inning of the teams’ last meeting.

“We got to their pitcher, too, which was important,” Kuzminsky said. “As soon as he went out of there, our confidence got way higher.”

Kuzminsky singled in the fourth, stole second, moved to third on a balk and came home on a sacrifice fly from Yoder for the game’s final run. The defense, meanwhile, backed him up on the mound, playing error-free ball the final five innings.

“It’s either on or off. When it’s on, it’s super-good, and everyone’s capable,” he said of the defense. “But when it’s off, it can get ugly.”

Crawford, in center field, was particularly solid, making a diving catch to rob Dustin Lusk of a single in the sixth inning.

Toledo (20-6) will take on Colfax in the State 2B semifinals on Friday afternoon, at 7 p.m. at Centralia’s Ed Wheeler Field.

“I think we’re pretty confident,” Kuzminsky said. “We’re feeling good about it. The experience will be good.”

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley finished its inaugural season as a combination program with a 20-6 record, after tying with Adna for third in the Central 2B League and winning the District 4 championship. The Titans graduate seniors Dylan Barrett, Austin Smith, Blake Moore, Trevor Ritzman and Chase Flemetis, but return the top five hitters in their lineup.

“I’m proud of the boys. We ended well,” Arrington said. “It wasn’t what we wanted, but for the first year combined, I’m happy.”

First-Round Games

Pe Ell-WV 8, Life Christian 7

MOSSYROCK — The Titans led throughout, but Life Christian made things interesting late in Pe Ell-Willapa Valley’s 8-7 regional win here Saturday afternoon.

The Titans led 8-0 heading into the top of the sixth inning, before the Eagles used four walks, three hits and two errors to put all of their 7 runs on the board. Red Arrington took over on the mound and got the final out, then struck out the side in the seventh inning to end the game.

Arrington also went 2 for 3 at the plate with a double in the win, while Chase Flemetis was 1 for 2 with a walk and Kaelin Jurek was 1 for 3 with a run and two stolen bases.

Toledo 10, Wilbur-Creston 3

MOSSYROCK — Toledo had no shortage of firepower here in its regional opener, dropping Wilbur-Creston 10-3 behind 15 hits.

The Indians led 3-0 after an inning and never looked back. Kolton Korpi went 3 for 4 and drove in a run, while Grant McEwen, Wes Kusminsky, Dakota Robins and Dalton Yoder each had two hits and an RBI.

Kuzminsky worked the first three innings, allowing two hits and a run with one walk and a strikeout. Robins and Connor Vermilyea each pitched two innings to close the game out.