Baseball knocked out of East Super Regional

The Edmonds CC baseball team saw their season end earlier than expected with two straight losses in Yakima last weekend. The Tritons dropped their opener to Mt. Hood CC 7-2 on Friday, and lost a lead late to Yakima Valley, eventually falling 6-4 on Saturday. Against Mt. Hood, the Tritons trailed 3-0 and scored two runs in the 3rd frame, but the offense could only muster 3 hits against the Saints starter Connor Stevenson. Edmonds carried a 3-1 lead in Saturday’s loser-out contest against the host and defending NWAC-champion Yakima Valley, but the Yaks plated four runs in the 7th inning that would hold up. Sophomores Justin Polzin, Zach Needham, and Jake Malone each had multiple hits in a losing effort on Saturday. The trio ended up being the Tritons’ top three hitters based on batting average.

Mt. Hood ended up defeating Yakima Valley and will move on to the NWAC Championships from the East Super Regional. Everett CC will be the lone representative from the North region at the Championships – Bellevue and Skagit were also upended at their respective regionals. Edmonds CC baseball finished the 2017 campaign with an overall record of 29-15 and extended their postseason streak to five years.

Gm 1 Box | Gm 2 Box

Triton Softball Ends Record Season

The Edmonds CC softball team started the NWAC Championships on a good note with an 11-2 victory over Chemeketa CC, but that would be the only taste of winning the Tritons would experience in Spokane this past weekend. Edmonds lost a back-and-forth contest to the 4-seed Clackamas CC in their second game Friday, and dropped a loser-out game to familiar foe Bellevue College on Saturday to end their season.

EdCC softball at the NWAC banquet

In their opener, the first two innings saw all batters retired in order on both sides. Edmonds then erupted for 7 runs in the bottom of the third to take control of the game. With one out Kamryn Kanae blooped one into left field scoring Chasity Stalcup from second base. The next batter, Paige Matsuki, then blasted a two-run homer to left-center and the rout was on. Matsuki added another home run in the 4th inning; Daria Kawaauhau also left the yard for EdCC. Seli Aholelei recorded 5 strikeouts in 5 innings of work to earn the win in the circle. The Tritons topped Chemeketa 11-2 in a run-rule fashion.

Friday’s second game against Clackamas started well, with the Tritons in front 3-0 after the first 3 innings. The Cougars responded with 5 runs in the bottom of the 4th to jump ahead 5-3, and the Tritons matched that with 4 runs of their own in the top of the 5th. Matsuki hit her 3rd round-tripper of the tournament to start the 5th, Reagan Ingersoll scored Aholelei from second with a RBI single to left field, and the Tritons added two more runs on a fielder’s choice and a 1st and 3rd stolen base. In the top of the 6th Edmonds tacked on two additional runs from a Clackamas throwing error. The 9-5 Triton lead quickly evaporated as Clackamas struck for 7 runs in the bottom of the 6th to win going away 12-9. Kamryn Kanae, Paige Matsuki, and Seli Aholelei each collected two hits in a losing effort.

On Sunday the Tritons came up short in trying to defeat North region foe Bellevue College for the 5th time in 2017. The Bulldogs, who had been winless against the Tritons in league play, were victorious in an 11-2 triumph that lasted only five innings. Edmonds led 1-0 after one inning, but the game was put in a rain delay for just over 3 hours because of field conditions. After play resumed the Bulldogs exploded for a 9-run 3rd inning, one that Edmonds could not fight back from. Kamryn Kanae had a 2-run bomb in the 3rd and finished 2-for-3 in the season finale. Bellevue went on to win two more games on Saturday and placed 4th overall at the Championships. Douglas College, also from the North region, is in the Championship game Monday and will need to win just one game to take the title. The Tritons had an impressive season, finishing in second place from the North region with an overall record of 35-10. The 35 victories tied a school record for wins in a season. 

Gm 1 Box | Gm 2 Box | Gm 3 Box

Softball opens NWAC Championships against Chemeketa

Edmonds CC softball begins the NWAC Championship tournament in Spokane Friday and will face Chemeketa CC in their first round matchup at 12:30 p.m. The Tritons finished in second place from the North region; Chemeketa was the sixth place finisher from the South. The 16-team bracket seeding is determined by RPI – Edmonds (34-8, 26-6 North) is the No. 5 seed, and received an automatic bid. Chemeketa (18-21, 11-17 South) is the 12 seed and punched their ticket via at at-large bid. EdCC split games with Chemeketa in the two meetings between the opponents earlier this spring. Edmonds defeated the Strom 6-5 on March 4 and fell 7-2 on March 5. Both games were part of the non-league Triton Invitational.  

Softball opens NWAC Championship play Friday, May 19

Triton softball is in the midst of a stunning rise into the upper echelon of NWAC teams. Much of this year's success has been pinned around the team’s depth both in the circle and throughout the lineup. Edmonds has used four pitchers to stymie teams in a number of ways. Offensively the Tritons have been a strong combination and power and average. Nine players boast a batting average over .300, and the team has launched 71 home runs (2nd best overall in the NWAC), and sports a .623 slugging percentage (3rd overall).

Eight of the nine sophomores on the roster have NWAC Championship tournament experience, which may help as they progress through the double elimination bracket. Regardless of the outcome against Chemeketa, the Tritons will play their second game of the day Friday at 5:30 p.m. 

NWAC Softball Championship website | Bracket | EdCC Tritons Twitter | EdCC Softball Instagram

Road to Longview goes through defending champs for Baseball

Edmonds CC baseball opens the NWAC Super Regionals in Yakima on Friday against Mt. Hood CC at 4 p.m. Yakima Valley College, who is the defending NWAC champion, earned second place from the East region and is hosting all games this weekend at Bill Faller Field. Mt. Hood finished strong moving into the No. 3 spot from the South Region after sweeping Clackamas CC over the final weekend of the regular season.

Baseball starts Super Regionals Friday, May 19

This is the fifth consecutive year the Tritons have qualified for the NWAC playoffs. EdCC (28-13, 14-10 North) dropped six of their final eight regional games and finished tied for third place in the North, but split games at South region champ Linn-Benton CC last weekend. Edmonds faced Mt. Hood (15-23, 12-12 South) earlier this season, blanking the Saints 7-0 on March 18 in a non-league tilt. The Tritons seem to have the pieces in place for a playoff run – the pitching staff has a 2.89 ERA (3rd lowest overall), and the offense is tops in OPS (.859) and slugging percentage (.445). They are also 2nd overall in the NWAC in batting average (.308) and home runs (26).

The winner of the 4 p.m. game between Edmonds and Mt. Hood will play Yakima Valley (32-16, 18-10 East) immediately following at 7 p.m. Only one team from the Super Regional advances to the eight-team NWAC Championship tournament in Longview May 25-29.

NWAC Super Regional Brackets | EdCC Tritons Twitter | EdCC Baseball Twitter