Wednesday's Prep Baseball: Local Seniors Take the Diamond in All-State Feeder Game

Boys of Summer: Three Area Ballplayers Nominated to Play in All-State Game

By Jordan Nailon

jnailon@chronline.com

At first glance, the rosters for Wednesday’s All-State Feeder Game here at Wheeler Field appeared to be lopsided in almost every way.

For starters, the American squad had 23 players while the Nationals were stocked with just 18 players. On top of that, the Americans team, coached by Centralia College assistant coach Andy Forgione, boasted 14 players who have signed letters of intent to play college baseball, and four of those players (W.F. West’s WSU bound Tyson Guerrero and Brandon White included) are headed to four year schools like Washington State University. Meanwhile, the Nationals, coached by Centralia College pitching coach Cam Margaris, had only seven players headed to play college sports, and two of those players will be taking their talents to the gridiron instead of the diamond.

When the final out was recorded though, the seemingly overmatched National team had managed to come out on top on the scoreboard by eking out an 8-7 victory.

The Americans, with a roster full of W.F. West Bearcats and Centralia Tigers, staked out an early lead and kept adding on by putting up two runs in the first, two runs in the fourth and one run in both the fifth and sixth innings. That offensive output was largely compiled while the throng of ballplayers from the Twin Cities were still doing their thing on the field.

In three at bats in the first four innings, Guerrero reached base three times with a pair of hits and a run scored. Guerrero’s W.F. West teammate Dakota Hawkins reached base twice, including an RBI double and a run scored, while fellow Bearcat Nole Wollan also reached base twice, with a hit by pitch, and an RBI single.

The Centralia Tigers also had representatives who were putting on a good show in the senior all-star game. Nolan Miller was on base multiple times with one hit to show, while Kolby Sharp and Jerod Frias also added hits and runs to the American’s early tally.

Gabe O’Neil of W.F. West and Broc Selstrom of Centralia also made appearances in the game for the Americans. However, that highly capable contingent of Bearcats and Tigers had to leave the game early in order to attend a series of end of the year awards ceremonies for their respective schools. That excused mass exodus from the first base dugout ultimately opened the door for a comeback by the underdog National team.

Comprised of players from teams south of the Twin Cities, the Nationals included area ballplayers like Kord Senter of Mossyrock and Conner Weed of Adna. Trailing 5-1 after five innings, the Nationals slowly began to mount their counterattack with both Weed and Senter adding big hits to help power a three-run, top of the eighth inning that wound up giving their team the lead for good.

“I guess we’re the comeback kids today,” said Nationals coach Cam Margaris as his team rallied in the top of the eighth frame after trailing for the first seven innings.

Senter played first base for the Nationals and reached base on a walk to go along with his game deciding RBI single down the right field line in the eighth.

“It was really cool just the experience to get to play another game with a bunch of different guys and against tougher competition,” said Senter, who reached base on a walk along with his RBI single in the 8th inning. “It’s a lot different, but I like the challenge.”

Senter said that the best part of the day was the opportunity to suit up in his Mossyrock Vikings gear one last time.

“That was my favorite part about it,” he added.

In the bottom of the ninth, Miles Cannon of Tenino singled to score a run for the Americans but their rally fell one run short of tying up the game.That ending was probably a good thing as both rosters were tapped out of both relief pitchers and backup catchers by that point.

Cannon, who took care of the catching duties for the Americans in the second half of the ballgame came away impressed with the talent amassed in both dugouts for the game.

“It was fun to see all the talent around here. There’s actually a lot of it in this area,” said Cannon.

Cannon noted that even though he was familiar with most of the players on his team from his days in youth baseball, as well as summer league and high school ball, it still took awhile for things to loosen up in the dugout.

“It took a minute for sure, everybody was just kind of talking in little team groups but then we all kind of came together as one,” said Cannon.

“Plus, I think I just made a friend in the Rainier kid,” Cannon added in reference to Mountaineer Levi Reise.

Cannon said his favorite part of the day was getting to catch new pitchers who he has previously only been able to watch from the vantage of an opposing hitter, or as a spectator.

“It was nice catching (Nate) Kloempken from Monte. I’ve faced him the last few seasons and he’s always been a good pitcher so it was fun catching him and seeing what he’s got. It would have been nice to play another year now that I’ve seen what he’s got,” said Cannon. “This is my last time in this jersey. I wore it proud.”

Ten players from Wednesday’s feeder game were nominated to participate in the All-State Series at Yakima Valley Community College’s Parker Field on June 9-10. Local players who received the nod include W.F. West Bearcats Tyson Guerrero and Dakota Hawkins, as well as Conner Weed of Adna. Familiar foes from the Central 2B League, Wahkiakum Zach Brown and Toutle Lake’s Zach Vetter were also nominated.

Guerrero was the 2A Evergreen Conference MVP in 2017 and 2018. This year he compiled a 5-0 record on the mound with 28 innings pitched, a 1.29 ERA and 58 strikeouts. He also hit for a .446 average with 31 runs scored, 24 RBIs and 17 walks. Hawkins was 1st team all-league in the 2A Evergreen Conference with impressive hitting and pitching statistics. He hit .420 with 19 runs and 24 RBIs, while going 3-0 on the mound with a 0.39 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 18 innings. Conner Weed was the Co-MVP of the Central 2B League, hitting .459 with 5 homeruns, 31 RBIs and 22 runs scored. On the mound, he compiled a record of 2-1 with a 1.41 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched.

The other area players nominated for the All-State Series include Kaden Vanderwerf and Alex Brady of R.A. Long, Matt Plato and Nate Kloempken of Montesano, and Chance Wilson of Forks.