Friday, March 29, 2024

Brewster Bears suffer heartbreaking defeat to Kittitas

Errors helped Kittitas score three runs and force extra innings

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The Brewster Bears baseball team finished out their regular season with two wins over the Liberty Bell Mountain Lions, and started out the District 2B Tournament with a hard-fought loss to the Kittitas Coyotes.

The Bears started out the week by making up the postponed doubleheader with Liberty Bell on May 17. Brewster stopped playing while tied 6-6 in the sixth inning of the first game against Liberty Bell on April 30 after Danny Ramirez was hit in the head by a pitch. Ramirez suffered a concussion and chipped a tooth.

Brewster finished out the final two innings of the opening game and gained the 8-6 victory over Liberty Bell.

Miguel Churape had started the game and went the five innings to gain the win, and Stockton Taylor finished out the final two innings and gave up no hits, one walk and struck out five batters.

In the final two innings Alex Urias was 1-2 with one run scored and one stolen base, Churape was 1-1 with one RBI and Todd Burbank scored the final run after getting on by a walk.

"It all went according to plan," said Jerrod Riggan, Brewster baseball coach. "Alex hit a double and Miguel scored him with a hit to take a lead in the sixth, and Todd walked, stole two bases and scored on an error."

That win gave the Bears sole possession of the Central Washington 2B League Northern Division Championship.

Brewster finished out the doubleheader with an easy 16-2 victory over Liberty Bell in the second game in five innings.

Alex Urias pitched the complete-game victory and gave up three hits, two walks, no earned runs and struck out two batters.

"Alex threw a gem," said Riggan. "He didn't give up any earned runs and pitched fantastic. That was a good game and a great way to end the regular season. It was nice to see everyone succeed in that final game."

Easton Driessen was 1-2 with a double and three runs scored; Alex Urias was 2-4 with a double, triple, four RBIs and one run scored; Stockton Taylor was 1-4 with one stolen base and two runs scored; Miguel Churape was 1-3 with one RBI and one run scored; Chris Burbank had one RBI and two runs scored; Davey Smith had one RBI and two runs scored; Todd Burbank was 4-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored; Hunter Riggan was 1-4 with a home run, three RBIs and one run scored; and Adrian Urias was 1-2 with two runs scored.

The Bears had a bye to start the District 2B Tournament held last Saturday at Eastmont High School and suffered a hard-fought 6-4 loss to Kittitas in nine innings in the district semifinals.

Brewster faced a loser-out game on Tuesday, May 17 and if they won, played another game for seeding into regionals.

The Bears scored one run in the first inning, one in the third and two in the fifth to go up 4-0. Kittitas answered with one run in the top of the sixth and three in the top of the seventh after getting one out to start the inning. The Coyotes scored two runs in the top of the eighth to gain the win.

Brewster had two costly errors in the top of the seventh inning to help Kittitas score the three runs and force extra inning.

"Stockton threw 120 pitches and that was 20 more than I wanted him to throw, but there was a state berth on the line so we let him finish the seventh," said Riggan. "Alex came in and shut them down in the eighth but they scored two runs in the ninth to beat us."

Stockton Taylor started the game and went seven innings and gave up eight hits, five walks, two earned runs and struck out 15 batters. Alex Urias pitched the final two innings for the loss and gave up three hits, no walks, two earned runs and struck out two batters.

Driessen was 1-4; Alex Urias was 2-4 with a double and two runs scored; Taylor was 3-3 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored; Churape was 1-4 with three RBIs; and Smith was 1-4 with one stolen base.

Brewster's bottom five batters combined for 11 strikeouts in that game.

"We faced a good Kittitas pitcher, that was their No. 1, and that is what we expected," said Riggan. "We breezed through the league and had to face a tough pitcher at districts. Even facing that pitcher we were still up 4-1 with a chance to win but we had a complete meltdown in that seventh. That is baseball - it is not over until the last out is recorded. Kittitas fought back and earned that win."
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