It was a good news/bad news day for the South Whidbey High School baseball team at the bi-district tournament Saturday, May 4, in Bellingham.

The Falcons, behind their fourth no-hitter of the season, blanked Mount Baker 5-0 in the tournament opener and then lost 5-1 in sloppy fashion to Cedar Park Christian.

South Whidbey now plays a loser-out, winner-to-state game with Overlake at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at Bellingham’s Sehome High School.

If the Falcons win, they will meet the winner of University Prep and King’s at 2:30 p.m. Saturday to determine the third and fourth seeds from the bi-district tournament into the state playoffs.

South Whidbey 5, Mount Baker 0

After the Falcons squandered several scoring opportunities over the first four innings, assistant coach Sam Mirkovich predicted South Whidbey would score four runs in the fifth. He was close – the Falcons tallied five.

South Whidbey mixed hits by Dexter Jokinen, Luke Rookstool, Alex Black and Brent Batchelor; walks to Nick Black and Ethan Petty; a hit batter (Drew Fry); and an error to produced the five runs.

One run would have been enough. Petty, doing most of the work, and Batchelor combined to no-hit the Mountaineers.

It was South Whidbey’s fourth combined no-hitter of the season. Petty has been part of all four, and Batchelor three.

Petty pitched the first six innings Saturday and finished with eight strikeouts and two walks. Batchelor struck out one and walked two in the seventh. Thanks to two double plays and a pickoff, the two pitchers faced only two batters over the minimum.

On offense, Jokinen and Rookstool each had two hits, Kody Newman doubled, and Alex Black, Fry, Batchelor and Petty all added singles.

Cedar Park Christian 5, South Whidbey 1

After a strong all-around game in the opener, South Whidbey struggled against the Eagles.

CPC scored only one earned run as the Falcons committed three errors.

Four Falcon pitchers combined to walk six, and three came around to score.

The Eagles’ Jackson Erdman pitched a three-hitter with seven strikeouts.

Newman had two of the hits; one drove in Alex Black, who was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, for South Whidbey’s lone run.

Jon Bartel singled in the seventh.

Drew Fry avoids the tag to score for South Whidbey. (Photo by Jim Waller/South Whidbey Record)

Kody Newman hangs on after sliding safely into third base. (Photo by Jim Waller/South Whidbey Record)

Ethan Petty lines a base hit for the Falcons. (Photo by Jim Waller/South Whidbey Record)

Luke Rookstool hustles home for a South Whidbey run. (Photo by Jim Waller/South Whidbey Record)