South Whidbey baseball unable to pull out of slump against Lakewood

The South Whidbey baseball team dropped its fourth straight game Monday, losing 11-4 to the Lakewood Cougars.

By Jeff VanDerford • April 6, 2010 5:51 pm
Falcon pitcher Craig Hawkinson fires a strike to a Lakewood batter Monday. South Whidbey was generally outgunned by the Cougars
Falcon pitcher Craig Hawkinson fires a strike to a Lakewood batter Monday. South Whidbey was generally outgunned by the Cougars

LANGLEY — The South Whidbey baseball team dropped its fourth straight game Monday, losing 11-4 to the Lakewood Cougars.

The Falcons are 3-4 in the Cascade Conference, 5-4 overall, and rank fourth in the standings. Lakewood moves to 5-4 and third place behind undefeated Cedarcrest (9-0) and Archbishop Murphy (4-2).

“It was a tough day for Falcon pitching,” said Falcon coach Dave Guetlin. “Eight base-on-balls and four hit batters don’t allow for too many wins.”

The Cougars got a run in the first inning, not by a hit, but by three walks and a hit batter. In the second inning, the Cougars got going with a one-out walk, then collected three straight hits for three more runs.

The Cougars then blew it open in the third, picking up five more runs and putting the game away early. The big blow came on a three-run homer by Cougar catcher Mike Leach.

The Falcons picked up two runs in the third inning as Ben Ross led off with a single, Michael Agate was hit by a pitch, and both runners moved up a base via a passed ball. Robert Kirby then delivered a two-out, two-RBI single.

In the Falcon fifth inning, “Duck” Hanna got South Whidbey going with a one-out single. Robert Kirby followed him, getting on base via a Cougar miscue. Both runners then scored on a TJ Fallon single.

Fallon was the lone Falcon with two hits on the day. Austin Bennett had a double for the only Falcon extra-base hit.

The players felt that, overall, the team lacked focus.

“The plays that we usually make went south,” said Falcon pitcher Craig Hawkinson. “We were definitely not as sharp as we have been. I felt I had good control out there, but I couldn’t help notice a number of calls were going the wrong way.”

Assistant coach Tom Fallon thinks he knows the reason.

“It’s spring break and it caused a slight, almost unconscious, let-down in their concentration,” he said. “We had too many walks, but actually out-hit the Cougars.”

Falcon first baseman TJ Fallon said he and his teammates need to pay more attention to the game itself.

“We just weren’t prepared,” he said. “The weather has been terrible, cold and rainy the last couple weeks, and that may have thrown us off.”

Despite all that, Fallon said the team is confident it can win, and that Lakewood is beatable.

“Coach Guetlin was upbeat despite the loss, and we will take it to them on their home field Wednesday,” he said.