Braves baseball team crushes Concrete

It has been a rough road this season for the La Conner High School baseball team.

But on Friday, the Braves were able to roll over Concrete in their NW2B/1B home debut, with a 13-3 victory behind solid starting pitching from Nathan Bailey and multiple hits by Logan Burks, Brogan Masonholder and Mason Wilson.

Bailey started on the hill opposite Concrete and struck out 11 batters while holding the Lions scoreless through four frames.

Masonholder came on in relief in the fifth to close the game.

The double-digit triumph, La Conner’s first win this spring, helped take the sting out of a tough 5-3 loss at Orcas the previous Tuesday, March 29.

While there was much drama in the matchup with Orcas, La Conner ended all suspense in its first at-bat against Concrete, scoring a season-high 12 runs in the opening frame.

“It was our first lead of the year,” La Conner coach Jeremiah LeSourd noted afterward. “We took advantage of the opportunities we were given and Nathan never let them get started.”

All La Conner hitters had the chance to bat with runners on base.

“Our baserunning was more efficient,” LeSourd said, “and has been an emphasis for us. That way, you can create offense and opportunities for yourself.”

Burks was a perfect three-for-three at the plate. Masonholder lined three safeties in four trips and Wilson collected base hits in each of his two at-bats.

Burks and Masonholder had run-scoring singles at Orcas, a game in which starting pitcher Haydin Dinuis helped with two doubles and a single. C.J. Edwards chipped in a single and two-bagger.

Yet it wasn’t quite enough to defeat the Vikings.

Dinuis delivered a double in the first, advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was stranded there.

“We let the moment get to us and you can’t do that in close games,” LeSourd said.

Still, it wasn’t a fatal inning for La Conner. The Braves later mounted a comeback, getting two runners on ahead of a base hit to centerfield.

“In the end,” he said, “it was a good experience for us and a tough lesson.”

A lesson learned and one that helped the Braves crush Concrete April 1.

Next up for La Conner is an April 8 home game at 4 p.m. with defending league champion Friday Harbor.

In a related note, the high school softball team dropped a 19-9 non-conference decision to Muckleshoot Tribal School last Thursday, March 31. The

Lady Braves return to their NW2B/1B schedule this Friday, April 8 when they host Friday Harbor at 4 p.m.