Jacks advance with come-from-behind win over Omak
Quincy senior Kenny Thompson sprints toward first base after hitting a ground ball in the infield.
Ian Bivona
Quincy sophomore Caleb Coduti dives back to first base to survive a pick-off attempt.
Quincy sophomore Gavin Gonzalez batted in three runs in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Omak, including a two-RBI double in the fifth inning to add insurance runs.
Quincy sophomore Evander Stephens pitches during the second inning of Saturday’s 5-2 win over Omak. Stephens recorded six strikeouts in his start on the mound.
QUINCY – An early 2-0 deficit in the top of the third inning wasn’t enough to stop the Jacks on Saturday, as they rallied for a 5-2 win over Omak in the first round of the Caribou Trail League district tournament.
“A win’s always nice,” Quincy Head Coach Seth Longwill said. “Omak’s a team that has been improving a ton. Battling, always bringing us up to our A-game. I’m super proud of the kids. It’s nice to get back out there and win district games at home.”
Omak added a run off an RBI single in the top of the third inning, then scored again on a wild pitch two at-bats later. After two early outs to begin the bottom of the third, Quincy stayed resilient and added runs off an RBI single by freshman Ashton Barnes-Keller, an RBI by sophomore Gavin Gonzalez and senior Caden Cameron scoring off a balk.
“We’re trying to play seven, one-inning games,” Longwill said. “Win the inning. They put up two, we put up three (in the bottom of the third). Once we get in and we bring it, we flush that inning.”
Gonzalez added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, sending home junior Marty Aguila and Cameron for a 5-2 Quincy lead.
“It felt good to get them in,” Gonzalez said. “Get points on the board.”
The Jacks sealed the win in the top of the seventh – after Barnes-Keller struck out two of the first three batters he faced, catcher Caleb Coduti threw an Omak baserunner out who was attempting to steal second base, ending the game and advancing the Jacks to the CTL district final.
Barnes-Keller went three-for-three at the plate with one RBI in the win. On the mound, he struck out three Omak batters in relief of starter Evander Stephens, while surrendering one hit.
“Going three-for-three in a district home playoff game – he showed up,” Longwill said. “That’s what we talk about, show up and make the plays. Who’s going to make the moment? And he definitely did, that was awesome.”
The freshman was a member of Quincy’s varsity team last year when he was an eighth-grader.
“It wasn’t my best, but it worked,” Barnes-Keller said.
All of Quincy’s runs on Saturday came in the third and fifth innings, where the Jacks overcame two early outs in both innings.
“We say ‘Jackrabbit mentality, get it to the next guy,’” Longwill said. “The kids have played hard all year. Took some lumps, but we’re bending, not breaking. We’re ready for Monday.”
It’s a quick turnaround for the Jacks, who will face the loser of Monday’s 5 p.m. matchup between Chelan and Cashmere later on Monday evening.
“We haven’t done that all year, so it’s a little different format,” Longwill said. “I’ve got both my pitchers, my young guns, ready to go. We’re excited.”
First pitch for the Jacks against their yet-to-be-determined opponent is at 7 p.m. at Johnson-O’Brien Stadium at Ephrata High School.
“(The win) hyped us up for Monday,” Gonzalez said. “We’re ready to play.”
Ian Bivona can be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.
Box Score
OMK: 0-0-2-0-0-0-0 2
QNC: 0-0-3-0-3-0-X 5
