Metro baseball: Seattle Prep, O'Dea in final

All Tyson Sixkiller wanted to do was to hit the ball into the outfield and he knew good things would happen for his O'Dea High School baseball team.

Sixkiller didn't quite accomplish his goal, but the junior designated hitter connected just hard enough and deep enough in the infield. Then he beat out the throw to first to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as O'Dea overcame a late Bishop Blanchet rally for a 5-4 win in yesterday's Metro League semifinals at Southwest Athletic Complex.

A hard chopper down the third base line allowed Josh Campbell to jet home from third to break a 4-4 tie and send the Irish (15-5) into today's (Saturday) Metro championship game against Seattle Prep (15-5) at 3 p.m. at SWAC. With two outs, Sixkiller had to make sure he beat the throw from Blanchet third baseman Tony Ulacia to make the run count. He narrowly did and the Irish secured a Class 3A state berth when he was ruled safe at first.

"I was just trying to get the ball out of the infield," said Sixkiller, son of famous University of Washington quarterback Sonny Sixkiller, of his game-winning RBI. "I've got average speed. I just wanted to get down the line as fast as I could."

O'Dea, Metro's Sound Division champions, didn't look like it would ever have to bat in the bottom of the seventh after it opened a 4-0 lead in the fifth by scoring three runs. Blanchet (13-8) stormed back with four runs in the top of the seventh after Irish pitcher Drew Brown tossed six-plus innings of shutout ball. Brown was pulled after facing two batters in the seventh, the last of which yielded a double from John Ginda.

"This was our 15th win of the season and we've not blown anybody out," O'Dea Coach Bob Blair said after his team beat Blanchet for second time in three meetings this season. "We've gotten used to these kinds of games. We've gotten by on defense and pitching all year."

The Braves face Ballard (13-7) today at noon for the Metro League 's third and final state berth.

"It was fun for six innings and then it was nerve-wracking," Sixkiller said.

The Braves forced a tie by posting a four-spot in the top of the seventh. Ryan Vanetta started the rally with an RBI single to right field. Ulacia then added a two-run double to the gap in right-center and Earl Manlangit tied the score at 4-4 with a nice bunt single down the third-base line to score Erik Lofthus.

Seattle Prep 11, Ballard 1 (6 innings) — University of California-bound Stephen Carlson tossed a four-hitter and sparked a six-run third inning with a two-run home run as the defending Metro champion Panthers (15-5) reached the title game again.

Carlson finished 2 for 4 at the plate and struck out three batters on the mound to improve his pitching record to 5-1. Brothers Quailen and Calvin Anderson provided Seattle Prep with some big-time offense. Quailen went 2 for 2 with two walks and Calvin sent 1 for 2 with two walks, a three-run double in the sixth and four RBI total.

Calvin Anderson uncorked a three-run double into the left-field corner in the sixth as the Panthers closed out the win.

The Beavers (13-6), who led 1-0 after the second inning, allowed five runs in the bottom of the sixth to halt the contest by virtue of the 10-run rule.

INFORMATION

Metro League

baseball tournament

Today's schedule

At Southwest Athletic Complex

Noon — Blanchet (13-8) vs. Ballard (13-7), winner 3rd to state, loser out.

3 p.m. — O'Dea (15-5) vs. Seattle Prep (15-4), championship, both to state.