Both Bellevue College and Edmonds Community College came into their league-opening series with two of the top records in the NWAC. The results were similar on day one and day two as strong starting pitching won the opening games on both Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 for Bellevue while Edmonds’ bats won the nightcaps on both days.
At home, on Saturday, March 28, Bellevue’s Zander Clouse was brilliant in a complete game 3-1 win, scattering only three hits against one of the top offenses in the NWAC. Clouse, who has already signed with NCAA division one school, Liberty University, is now 4-0 with a 0.61 ERA and has only surrendered 13 hits in over 29 innings pitched. Bellevue’s bats did all of their damage in the third inning. After two quick outs, Bellevue started an amazing string of five straight singles by Dylan Vchulek, Trai Patrick, Alex Galgano, Alex Check, and Evan Johnson.
In game two, Bellevue hitters put together another string of five straight, but this time it was strikeouts instead of hits as Edmonds’ Alex Kisena, who is leading the NWAC pitchers in strikeouts, fanned the first five hitters he faced as he cruised to victory. Twelve Edmonds hits and three errors by Bellevue’s defense gave the Tritons all the momentum they would need as the game ended 11-1 due to the run limit rule.
On Sunday, March 29, Bellevue traveled up to Edmonds for games three and four of the series. Freshman pitcher Cody Anderson matched Clouse’s brilliant effort with a complete game three-hit shutout 2-0 win. Anderson now has a 0.38 ERA and has walked only two batters in over 23 innings pitched. Alex Galgano led off the fourth inning with a triple that went over the center fielder’s head and scored on a sacrifice fly by Johnson which proved to be the game winner.
In game two, the carbon copy of Saturday’s dismal second game occurred as Bellevue surrendered momentum from the first game win and a 4-0 lead in the first inning as the pitching and defense crumbled, giving up 13 hits, six walks, four hit batters, four wild pitches, and three errors. After establishing leads of 4-0 and 5-2, Edmonds reversed momentum in the middle innings with eight runs for the 11-7 win. Trai Patrick concluded his hot weekend by going 3-for-4 in the nightcap, raising his average to an NWAC top-twenty best of .356.
Bellevue is now 2-2 in league and 15-7 overall. Their next games are a four-game set with Shoreline this weekend. On Saturday, April 4, Bellevue is slated to host Shoreline for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader. On Easter Sunday, April 5, Bellevue will play at Shoreline’s Meridian Park for another doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.
Last Updated March 30, 2015
