Braves enter week perfect in NW2B baseball play

La Conner High split a twinbill at Orcas last week but won the game that mattered most.

La Conner, behind a three-hit, route-going effort from starting pitcher Max Miller, blanked the hosts 4-0 in the opener of a league doubleheader in which only the results of the first game count in NW2B standings.

Orcas came back to win the nightcap 6-2.

The Braves on Thursday improved to 2-0 in league action with a second shutout victory, this time by a football-like final score of 29-0.

The win at Orcas was indeed a gem. The two clubs were locked in a scoreless tie until the top of the fourth inning, when Miller helped his cause with a two-run single, plating Cameron Hansen and Logan James.

Riley Stewart then picked up Miller with an RBI single.

The victors tacked on another tally in the fifth when James singled home Preston Stewart.

That was more than enough run support for Miller, who scattered three safeties and fanned 12 hitters over seven frames.

Miller, Hansen, James, and Stewart ripped two hits apiece for La Conner.

The Braves continued to hit well in the non-binding second game. Scoring, however, was another story.

“Offensively,” La Conner head coach Jeremiah LeSourd said, “we had base runners on each inning. In the big moments, though, we hit it right at them.”

Still, there were bright spots. Both tangible and intrinsic.

Hansen continued his torrid hitting with a fourth inning single that scored Jack Dixon. In the prior stanza, Hansen had gotten aboard and came around via a fielder’s choice.

The no-count game allowed LeSourd the luxury of tweaking his mound rotation.

“We had a chance to work on our pitching depth,” he said. “Riley and Kyler (Dawson) stepped in and did a solid job and gained some valuable experience.”

La Conner literally took the wood to the Loggers two days later, rapping out 21 hits in a matchup called after five innings.

The Braves put up crooked numbers in each at-bat.

La Conner started fast — scoring nine runs in the first inning — and didn’t slow down.

“Our hitters,” said LeSourd, “were aggressive and attacked all day.”

While the Braves had little trouble reaching base against Darrington, the Loggers struggled when facing Hansen on the hill.

The La Conner senior tossed a no-hitter, striking out 11. He was also five-of-six at the plate, including three doubles, and drove in 10 runs.

Hansen’s amazing stat line nearly left LeSourd speechless.

“Wow,” he said afterward. “What more can you say other than Cameron Hansen really stood out today.”

That, LeSourd noted, is actually saying a lot since so many other La Conner players also enjoyed stellar outings.

James and Matt Harper finished with three hits and four RBIs apiece. James Hulbert and Cooper Zavala combined to deliver four hits and seven runs. One of Zavala’s two hits was a triple.

La Conner entered the week with a 3-3 overall slate. The Braves resume NW2B play tomorrow, Thursday, at Shoreline Christian. They entertain non-league foe Coupeville Friday at 4 p.m.

In a related note:

• The La Conner junior varsity defeated Darrington 11-1 in Thursday’s prelim matchup. Kaleb Parker led the winners with two hits.