Wednesday's 2A Baseball: Bats Come Alive as Bearcats Roll Into District Title Game

VANCOUVER - W.F. West couldn't get the bats going against Columbia River, but they came alive and were hot all game against Tumwater here on Wednesday.

W.F. West smacked 15 hits and Tyson Guerrero allowed one hit as the Bearcats won 15-0 in five innings in the District 4 2A Baseball Tournament semifinals.

The Bearcats play in the district championship at 5 p.m. on Friday back at Propstra Stadium against R.A. Long.

Lane Douglass and Brock Jones were each 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs. LeAndre Gaines was also 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a run.

Dakota Hawkins added two hits, three runs and an RBI and Josiah Johnson had two hits and two runs for the Bearcats.

Coach Bryan Bullock was happy with how the Bearcats responded after notching just five hits against Columbia River on Tuesday.

“After yesterday where we did not swing the bats like we’re capable of but we found a way to win yesterday and today, we come out and swing the bats like we can,” Bullock said. “Our pitching’s been solid all year and Tyson did everything that we would expect him to do every outing.”

Guerrero had 10 strikeouts and one walk and a hit by pitch. The only hit he allowed came with two outs in the final inning, leaving the Washington State University-bound Senior one out from his second no-hitter of the season.

“I felt pretty good. I came back, haven’t pitched in a week, arm’s a little tired and sore. It’s my first game, I only gave up one hit so I thought I did pretty well,” Guerrero said.

Guerrero said he wasn’t thinking about the no-hitter, although he wasn’t happy when the single found the gap between shortstop and third base.

“I was a little upset but it is what it is,” Guerrero said. “I just pitched my best and that’s what happens.”

The Bearcats jumped ahead early with Guerrero earning a lead off walk and Douglass’ triple bringing Guerrero for the opening run.

“We talked about it last night and we had some good work pregame. Tyson walks and then Douglass hits a triple in the 2-hole right off the bat and I think that definitely energized us as a team and got us going,” Bullock said.

Nole Wollan’s sacrifice fly brought home Douglass for a 2-0 lead after one.

Johnson led off the third with a double and after two outs, Wollan earned a walk and Dakota Hawkins brought both runners home with a single.

Jones hit a double to bring home Hawkins and Gaines came up and hit a single to bring home Jones for a 6-0 lead after three innings.

The Bearcats scored nine runs in the fifth inning, including the first eight batters of the inning reaching base and scoring before Hawkins hit a triple to bring home the final two runs of the game.

The Bearcats are back in the district championship game for the third year in a row.

“Our deal is we just want to find ways to win,” Bullock said. “Whatever’s asked of us in a game, whether it’s scoring 15 runs, whether it’s scoring two runs and playing great defense. All facets of the game are things that we continually work on every day in practice.”