Broncos lose state title
Pam Robel/Columbia Basin Herald<br>Jonny Esquivel swings for a pitch against Pateros Friday in the semi-final round of the State B baseball championship.
Lind-Ritzville falls to perennial title holder DeSales in championship
YAKIMA — The Broncos stepped on to the field for the State B championship game in the midst of a rain storm, the first of many Saturday and began the game slowly against DeSales.
DeSales struck first, scoring a lone run in the bottom of the first inning and another in the bottom of the third before Lind-Ritzville opened up a 5-2 lead in the top of the fourth.
Cameron Stevenson struck out in the lead off position for the Broncos but was avenged by the next two batters.
Zack Gardner wore a pitch and Jacob Parkins followed him with a walk.
With two runners on Jonny Esquivel had a fly out near first and Lind-Ritzville began their two out rally.
The rally began with a double to left field by Nathan Bucher that sent Gardner home and advanced Parkins to third.
Parkins crossed the plate on an infield single from Darrin Eilbes, who in turn was driven in along with Bucher by a double to center from Tyler Bruegemen to make it 4-2.
The Broncos' Nick Ashley was intentionally walked but to no avail when Travis Dewald hit a looping double to bring in Bruegemen for the final run of the side.
DeSales answered with a rally of their own to tie the game at five runs apiece in the bottom of the inning.
The tie held steady until the top of the sixth inning when the Broncos pulled ahead by a single run.
Bruegemen hit a single to right in the lead off spot and rounded second during an at bat that ended in a walk for Stevenson.
Gardner hit a single to center to bring in Bruegemen and make it a 6-5 game.
Ashley allowed three runners get on base for DeSales in the bottom of the sixth — walking two and hitting one with a wild pitch — before Lind-Ritzville's defense kicked in to get him out of the jam.
DaSales closed the Broncos out with two strike outs in the top of the seventh before taking their final turn at the plate.
Ashley began the side with a three pitch, three strikes outting for DeSales' first batter then walked the next batter.
DeSales then earned a bunt single on a questionable call at first.
The runners advanced on a passed ball from Lind-Ritzville and two runners were scored by DeSales on a single to left field that ended the game with a 7-6 score.
Lind-Ritzville entered the championship game by knocking off Pateros Friday.
The Broncos got off to a slow start in the Pateros game as well - allowing one run and two hits in the first inning before buckling down to tie the game at one in the bottom of the second.
Both teams were scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Lind-Ritzville took a two run lead.
Eilbes struck out in the lead off spot for the Broncos and Ashley recorded the second out of the game in the three batter position. Sandwiched between the two outs, Bruegemen had a loop single to get on base and then advanced to second during Ashley's at bat.
Dewald was intentionally walked to set up a two RBI double to the center field fence by Stevenson to make it 3-1.
Lind-Ritzville scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth for their final runs of the game.
Parkins doubled to center to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Esquivel.
Bucher and Eilbes were then walked to load the bases for the Broncos.
Bruegemen hit a chip single to send Parkins' courtesy runner Kerry Tyler scampering for home where he was tagged out.
Ashley then hit a looping single to left that scored Bucher and Eilbes to give Lind-Ritzville a 5-1 lead.
Pateros scored one run in the top of the seventh but it was not enough to knock the Broncos out of the championship hunt.
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