Edmonds Outlasts Pierce in NWAACC Thriller

Jaime Umbinetti blasted a 3-run homer Friday
against Pierce at the NWAACC Tournament

box score

LONGVIEW -- Edmonds Community College defeated Pierce College 6-3 (10) at Story Field Friday night in a NWAACC winner's bracket contest. The win propels the Tritons (36-7) into a meeting with Bellevue College 7 p.m. Saturday evening. 

EdCC and BC are the North's No. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively. The Bulldogs reached Saturday's winner's bracket game by knocking off South No. 1 Clark 8-7 (11) and South No. 2 Treasure Valley 3-0. The two teams met six times this season with the Tritons winning five.

Friday's contest with Pierce was scheduled to start at 7:35 p.m. but did not begin until 10 p.m. due to a three-hour rain delay earlier in the day. The game turned out to be a fast paced one due to the pitching of EdCC's Andrew Kemmerer and PC's Darrien Moran.  Both hurlers were in control until the seventh inning.

That's when each side struck for three runs. Ryan Budnick and Chris Osborne each singled for Edmonds in the top of the inning, setting the table for Jaime Umbinetti who crushed a Moran offering over the right field wall.

Stunningly, the Raiders answered with three of their own in the same frame. Luke Heyer doubled home the first run and came home on a single from Jarred Prather. Prather reached second on the throw home and scored from second on an infield single by Dalton Elmer.

The game remained tied through nine, though each team had its chances and each side made run-saving defensive plays. Pierce's second baseman Brett Oyer threw Becker out at home on a grounder and EdCC's Conor Plaisance threw a runner out at third from deep left center in the seventh.

It wasn't until the tenth that Edmonds came through with three runs and claim the hard-fought victory.

Plaisance walked for EdCC to lead off the inning, chasing Moran from the hill. Umbinetti reached on an error by Pierce's first baseman and Tyler Baker coaxed a walk to load the bases.

Matt Becker then came through with his fourth hit of the night, a single up the middle that plated two runners. Kyle Olson laid down a bunt that brought home the third run of the inning.

DJ Oliver entered for Kemmerer in the tenth and set down the Raiders 1-2-3 to earn the save. The last pitch was delivered at 12:17 am Saturday morning.

Kemmerer improved to 10-1 after nine gritty innings of work in which he allowed three runs on 10 hits with 12 strikeouts. The sophomore fanned six batters in a row at one point. 

Pierce (28-12) falls into the loser's bracket and will face West rivals Tacoma Saturday at 2:00 p.m.