The Skyview baseball team is excited for league play to begin.
“We’ve been practicing hard, which has helped us compete hard in these early games,” coach Seth Johnson said. “And the transition from practices to games has gone smoothly this spring because the guys have just taken their enthusiasm to another level.”
That enthusiasm was on display Tuesday night at Propstra Stadium, as the Storm got contributions from up and down the lineup en route to an 11-1 non-league win over Ridgefield.
“We’ve been playing really well so far for us,” senior Lowell Dunmire said. “I think the energy has been the biggest factor for us. We’re 5-0 and off to a great start.”
The Storm got a great start from Dunmire, allowing just two hits and one run over five inning of work.
After allowing a solo home run to Brock Harrison followed by a single to Spencer Andersen, Dunmire set down the next 12 in a row. He struck out nine.
“I just went back to throwing strikes and regrouped, plus I knew my defense had me,” Dunmire said.
And the Storm offense also offered support. An RBI single by Ryan Pitts followed by a two-run double by Liam Kerr put Skyview up 3-0 in the first inning.
RBI singles by Cooper Barnum in the second and another by Pitts in fourth padded the Storm’s lead as did Kyle Olson’s two-run triple in the fifth.
Pitts, Kerr and Olson each went 2 for 3 on Tuesday, and Xander Morrison was 2 for 4.
“I think our lineup is solid through and through,” Kerr said. “I think we can compete with any pitcher in the league.”
The Storm will get to test that theory out on Thursday as league play opens in the 4A Greater St. Helens League. Skyview, which has reached the state semifinals each of the past two seasons, plays at Heritage on Thursday before hosting Battle Ground next week.
“Our league gets three spots to the playoffs and I think any team in the league can compete for those spots,” Johnson said. “Every game is a battle in our league, even if it’s a first-place team against a last-place team. That’s all you can ask for in high school baseball.”
