Baseball: Estes has a blast beating Issaquah
SAMMAMISH - John Estes' fourth-inning home run against Issaquah could have been a tape-measure blast.
But it's tough to tell at Skyline's baseball park, which doesn't have any signs showing the distance.
"I have no idea how far it is," Skyline Coach Tracy Krause said. "Kids have said something like 340 feet, but it's not an exact thing for sure. We like to keep people wondering."
The distance of Estes' two-run home run was up for debate, but there was no doubt about its magnitude. It was the biggest hit in the Spartans' 3-0 victory yesterday in a game for first place in KingCo 3A.
Skyline (12-2, 13-3 overall) had been averaging 8.92 runs in league games, but any fraction of that total was sufficient with Estes on the mound. He won his sixth straight game, striking out six in 6-2/3 innings. He allowed only three hits, and Issaquah (10-4, 12-4) had only two runners reach second base.
Estes threw a first-pitch strike to nine of the first 12 batters he faced. Issaquah's only scoring opportunity came in the third inning, when Dane Woldseth singled and stole second. He tried to score on Colin Curtis' two-out single, but was tagged out at the plate after a relay from left fielder Marc Wilson to third baseman Dan Gronski.
"That was it, definitely the big turning point," Estes said.
Issaquah starter Colin Curtis was almost as good as Estes, holding Skyline to one hit in the first three innings. But in the fourth, Derek Decater doubled and stole third. Estes came up with one out and hit a 1-2 pitch that he thought was a sacrifice fly until it disappeared behind the left-field fence.
"I knew I hit it high," said Estes, who is 6 feet 4, 250 pounds.
Skyline catcher Jon Wilson was out of the dugout as soon as he heard the contact.
"Estes is so big, if he gets his arms extended it's going to go a ways," Wilson said. "He connected. That's the first time all year he's really got a hold of one, and he showed you his power right there."
Skyline added a run in the sixth when Dan Gronski singled, advanced to third on Simi Reynolds' hit and scored on a double steal.
Other games
At Highline 13, Kennedy 12 - John Beal stroked a game-winning two-run homer in the seventh to cap a 4-for-4 performance for the Pirates in a Seamount League slugfest.
At Lindbergh 7, Hazen 6 (9 innings) - Ian Campbell's one-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth gave the Eagles a Seamount victory.
Mount Rainier 5, at Renton 0 - Hunter Hughes pitched a two-hit shutout as fourth-ranked Mount Rainier won again.
Bishop Blanchet 9, Chief Sealth 4 - Jhomar Small went 4 for 5 with a home run, a triple and two stolen bases as the Braves beat the Seahawks. Blanchet, the Metro League Sound Division leader, plays Mountain Division-leading Seattle Prep at 3:30 p.m. today at Lower Woodland in the teams' only regular-season meeting.
Ballard 6, Lakeside 3 - Lane Himmelman was 3 for 3 with a double and Austin Kuehn was 2 for 3 with two RBI for the Beavers.
Seattle Prep 10, West Seattle 4 - Ryan Leong went 4 for 4 and Scott Henderson 3 for 3 with a double and four RBI, and No. 10 Seattle Prep turned four double plays.
Roosevelt 10, Franklin 0 (6 innings) - Perry Knodle pitched a three-hitter and went 2 for 4 with a double as the Roughriders got their first KingCo 4A victory.
Juanita 8, Garfield 0 - Sean Beschak struck out eight in a five-hitter for the Rebels in a KingCo 4A game.
At Newport 8, Mercer Island 3 - David Haizlip's two-run single was the key hit in a six-run sixth for the Knights in a KingCo 3A victory.
Chimacum 4, at Eatonville 0 - The Cowboys stayed unbeaten behind Thomas Chivers' four-hit shutout in a Nisqually League game.