Summer Baseball: Hanford Flames End I-5 Toyota’s Season

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ANACORTES — I-5 Toyota scored five runs in the first inning but it wasn’t enough as the Hanford Flames came from behind to earn a 7-5 win in an American Legion AAA state baseball tournament consolation game here on Monday.

Camden Ryan started on the mound and pitched 4 ⅓ innings, allowing five earned runs, eight hits and two walks with one strikeout. Brit Lusk pitched the final 1 ⅔ innings, allowing one hit and no runs with two strikeouts.

At the plate, Lusk was 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run. Max Miller had a triple and a run and Bodey Smith had a hit, a run and an RBI. Teegan Zillyet had a hit and a run and Ryan added a hit and an RBI.

“I think going there with 10 available players with the injuries and stuff we’ve had, the kids played outstanding. We could have easily won both games,” I-5 Toyota coach Tom Grunenfelder said. “Lakeside Recovery, one of the top teams in the state. We were tied 3-3 after four innings, Drew Rose was outstanding. The whole infield were playing positions they’ve never played before. I’m extremely proud of the guys.”

I-5 Toyota led 5-3 after the first inning. Hanford tacked on one run in the third inning before plating three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for good.



Grunenfelder highlighted a play in the third inning where Max Taylor appeared to have scored a run and help the momentum swing more towards I-5 Toyota, but Taylor made contact with the catcher and was thrown out of the game for malicious contact.

“In essence, it took our four hitter out of the game. One of our top defensive outfielders, it was a horrible call,” Grunenfelder said. “The officials said to me after the game as much. It’s hard in a state tournament game, you never say a call costs a game. In all the games I’ve coached, that was as bad and big of call as I’ve ever seen.”

Grunenfelder acknowledged the contributions of Zillyet and Miller to I-5 Toyota and wished them the best of luck as they move on from the program.

I-5 Toyota finished the season third in league and will be back in action in June 2020.

“A lot of kids coming back,” Grunenfelder said. “We’ll add some more pieces to this, stay healthy and make a run next year.”