In a season where nothing seemed certain from game to game, the junior varsity baseball players at South Whidbey High School didn’t bother to worry — they just won.
Though the team played games varying from a one run, opening-day loss to Port Townsend to 18-0 victories over both Sultan and Granite Falls, the JV Falcons used steady and solid play to notch one of their best seasons ever.
Improving on last year’s 12-3 record, the Falcons pounded the competition this year on their way to a 15-2 record. They were 2-1 in non-league games and 13-1 in the league.
According to JV Coach David Nelson, it was a strong group of freshmen and some outstanding offensive performances from sophomores and juniors that carried the Falcons to their .889 winning percentage.
Pitching was key. Putting up great numbers on the mound were freshmen Stefan Kolbo (5-0, 45 K, 21 BB, 1.75 ERA, 32 IP), Joel Friesen (4-1, 42 K, 21 BB, 3.13 ERA, 22.3 IP), and Michael Osburn (3-0, 29 K, 8 BB, 1.27 ERA, 22 IP). Kolbo pitched two complete games during the season, including a 10-0 shutout over Lakewood April 24. Friesen also pitched two complete games, including an 18-0 shutout over Sultan April 1.
Hurling the most confounding game of the year, at least from the opposition’s viewpoint, was Osburn, who had 12 strikeouts in a complete game win over Sultan April 19.
Offensively, the Falcons compiled a .301 team batting average, scoring 180 runs in 17 games. Conley White led the team with a .563 batting average, while junior Danny Mulcahy piled up 21 hits (9 of which were doubles), and freshman Michael McNany slugged in 26 RBI.
Freshmen Andrew Hosmer (.400), Michael Osburn (.317), and Tony Parra (.300) and sophomores Jake McCormack (.429) and Eric Flister (.450) all batted over .300 this season.
Defensively, the Falcons were led by catcher and first baseman Michael McNany’s 104 putouts and .975 fielding percentage, shortstop Dustin Sidhu’s 23 assists, second baseman Hing Potter’s 18 assists and outfielder Jason Mannie’s perfect fielding percentage over 58 innings.
McNany also gunned down five of 14 base runners this season from his catching position.
For more information about Falcon baseball, visit the team’s Web page at www.sw.wednet.edu, following links to the high school spring sports athletics page and clicking on baseball.
