Lancers' Smiley Wins A Wild One -- Overcomes 8 Walks To Beat Hazen 14-10

RENTON - Kennedy's Jermaine Smiley was throwin' smoke. He just wasn't always sure where he was throwing it.

"I had trouble finding the strike zone," Smiley said after striking out 10 and walking eight in a 14-10 Seamount League baseball victory over Hazen yesterday.

"I wish I could have found it a little bit more. . . . I couldn't find my curve. I wanted to find it, but I couldn't."

Fortunately for Smiley, four Hazen pitchers had even more difficulty with the strike zone, issuing 11 walks (four to leadoff hitter Greg Quitiquit) and hitting one batter. Plus, Kennedy clubbed 16 hits, including two home runs, a triple and three doubles, in creating a four-way logjam atop the standings. Hazen, Kennedy, Lindbergh and Tyee all are 7-3.

Smiley, who improved to 2-0, was appreciative of the run support.

"If I didn't have 14 runs, I would have been roped out of the game," he said.

The Highlanders were on the ropes early without their top three pitchers. Erik Broughton (3-1) was finishing a three-day school suspension and Barry Scappini (2-1) was in Denver for a DECA activity. Larry Fudge (1-0), the only other Hazen pitcher who has thrown a Seamount League inning, had just pitched on Monday.

"We had an audition (Tuesday), although it was more like a chorus line," Hazen Coach Rick McGrath said.

Starter Marc Foley didn't make it out of the first, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks. The Lancers jumped up 5-0 in the second, but Hazen answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, thanks in part to a trio of walks.

An eight-run third, which included two-run home runs by Jake Kauzlarich and Darin Trautmann, gave Smiley all the cushion he needed.

McGrath didn't blame the loss on his absent arms.

"We're not using that for an excuse," he said. "Other guys have got to step up. We put ourselves in that situation. It's no excuse. Kennedy just flat beat us. They're a good hitting team. The ball was flying out of here like a runway at Sea-Tac."

Ryan Mummert led the hit parade with four singles. Sean Fitzgerald was 3 or 4 with a double and three runs batted in.

Kevin Kawasaki, called on when J.R. Meier was ejected for throwing an elbow in the second inning, had a three-run triple and a single and relieved a tired Smiley in the ninth. Kauzlarich added a double to his homer, and No. 9 hitter Taylor Halverson doubled, singled and scored twice.

Jeff Oberbillig had two of Hazen's seven hits, a solo home run and a two-run double. Larry Fudge was 2 for 2, while Craig Darden went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI.

Kennedy Coach Joe Faccone said he expects a race to the wire for the league title.

"I think this is the most competitive this league has been," he said.

McGrath doesn't expect any breathers, either.

"This league is so even, it's going to come down to the last game," he said. "It's going to be fun, because everybody's going to be involved."

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

At Renton 9, Highline 8 - Mike Grundy belted a two-run double and Adrian Duarte and pitcher Kyle Nelson each had two hits as Renton (1-9, 1-10) broke a 35-game losing streak and recorded the first baseball victory since 1996. Dustin Russell had three hits for Highline (4-6, 6-10), which was coming off back-to-back victories over contenders Kennedy and Tyee.

Tyee 6, at Evergreen 2 - Nathan Harlin drove in two runs with a pair of hits, and Ryan Davis had two hits, including a double, and one RBI for the Totems (7-3, 9-6).

At Lindbergh 6, Mount Rainier 2 - Matt Purcell had two hits and two RBI, and Jesse Hanson contributed two hits, including a triple, and one RBI for the Eagles (7-3, 9-4). ------------------------------- Seamount League baseball standings

League Season

W L W L Kennedy 7 3 9 3 Lindbergh 7 3 9 4 Tyee 7 3 9 6 Hazen 7 3 7 9 Mount Rainier 5 5 11 6 Highline 4 6 6 10 Evergreen 2 8 3 10 Renton 1 9 1 10

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Kennedy 14, Hazen 10 Renton 9, Highline 8 Tyee 6, Evergreen 2 Lindbergh 6, Mount Rainier 2