ADNA — Three games into the season, the Adna Pirates sat at 1-2, and they were coming off a 10-run loss to Ilwaco.
First-year Adna coach Jake Overbay knew that once he and the team started to gel, the wins would come together.
Overbay has since been proven right, as the Pirates have rattled off eight consecutive wins, including a 7-0 win over Toledo at home on Tuesday.
“Stringing together a few wins gets the buy-in real easy,” Overbay said with a smile. “It’s been a lot of fun, it just took a little momentum to get going.”
Tuesday’s win was Adna’s second-straight shutout win over Toledo, as the Pirates (9-2, 9-1 C2BL) blanked the Riverhawks (5-7, 4-6 C2BL) 4-0 one day prior.
Tristan Percival followed up Cameron Nakano’s complete-game shutout with five and a third shutout innings of his own, striking out 11 Riverhawks while allowing just three hits.
Nakano and Percival have been lights-out on the mound for the Pirates in the first stretch of the season, as the two have combined to allow just eight earned runs on the year. Percival’s ERA of 1.40 is only bested by Nakano’s mark of 1.18.
“When both of those guys are being as consistent as they are lately, it’s really fun to watch and enjoyable to see one back up the other,” Overbay said. “You get to really go after both W’s right away and pitch aggressively.”
It didn’t take long for Adna to get Percival some run support on Tuesday. After the first two Pirates were retired, the next three got on to load the bases. A walk forced home one run, and Owen Fagernes brought home two more to put Adna up 3-0.
Percival made sure the Riverhawks didn’t respond with any runs in the top of the second, which was just as important to Overbay.
“To put up a crooked number in the first inning is always a dagger to your opponent,” Overbay said. “It’s tough to respond to.”
For the next few innings, the game turned into a bit of a pitcher’s duel. Percival continued to roll, and Gavin Frewing settled in on the bump for Toledo.
Despite giving up three in the first, he went on to pitch into the fifth, giving up six hits and six runs (though only three earned) while walking three and striking out three.
“He threw really well,” Toledo coach Mack Gaul said. “ He got weak contact all day long … He’s been solid for us and very consistent for us so far this year.”
Gaul was frustrated with the Riverhawks’ offensive approach, saying that even though they had been working on hunting the fastball early in the count, they weren’t able to capitalize and ended up in pitcher’s counts.
“There’s no excuse to not hit the fastball,” Gaul said. “We gotta do a better job one through nine of stringing it together.”
Even after Percival left the game in the fifth, the Riverhawks weren’t able to generate a rally.
Beau Miller came on in relief, inheriting a one-out, bases-loaded situation. He promptly induced two shallow fly balls, and all three Riverhawks were left stranded.
“We gotta flush it,” Gaul said. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Miller has also been a part of Adna’s pitching dominance, as he’s posted an ERA of 3.07 in 13.2 innings, mostly out of the bullpen. As a team, the Pirates have pitched three straight shutouts, and they’ve allowed two or fewer runs in six of their last eight games.
They’ll look to keep their win streak going on Friday against Morton-White Pass at White Pass, while Toledo will look to bounce back at home on Friday versus Kalama.
