Jacob Brugman is beginning his third year as captain of the Fort Vancouver baseball team.
Monday, the senior led by example in Fort’s 6-5 season-opening win over White Salmon.
“He took the team on his back today and said ‘I’m going to show you how to win a baseball game,’ ” Fort coach Owen Frasier said.
Pitching? Brugman showed how that’s done.
He took the mound with one out in the third inning and the score tied at 4. Of the 14 outs he recorded, 13 were strikeouts.
“He probably throws 85 or 86 (miles per hour),” Frasier said. “He was overpowering today. He hit his spots and threw a lot of strikes.”
Hitting? Brugman also showed how that’s done.
He went 2 for 4 with three RBI. No hit was bigger than his two-run double that gave Fort a 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth.
Brugman also got out of a jam in the top of the seventh. White Salmon used a catcher’s interference call, a walk and an error to score an unearned run and put runners on second and third with two outs. But Brugman got one last strikeout to end the game.
“He’s always been a leader,” Frasier said. “As a sophomore, he was our best player. He’s the guy we count on.”
• Isaiah Smith, Battle Ground baseball, delivered an infield hit that knocked in Riley Betcher with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Tigers opened league play with a 3-2 win over Skyview.
• Trevor Huddleston, Woodland baseball, pitched five innings of no-hit ball, striking out seven, in the Beavers’ 8-0 win over Prairie.
• Teaghan Cowles, Columbia River softball, went 5 for 5 and hit for the cycle in River’s 14-2 win over Evergreen.
• David Wallum, Hudson’s Bay baseball, threw a five-inning no-hitter, striking out five, in the Eagles’ 12-0 win over La Center.
• Jake Hammond, Hudson’s Bay baseball, went 3 for 3 with four RBI and three runs.
• Alex Firl, La Center soccer, scored a hat trick in a 5-0 win over Woodland.
• Hunter Bruns, Camas baseball, had two hits two RBI, including one during a six-run sixth inning as the Papermakers rallied past Union in the league opener.
• Trev Swartz, Evergreen baseball, had two hits including a double as the Plainsmen held off Heritage to win 8-7. Evergreen led 8-0.
