The Chief Sealth Seahawks scored early and often in their 12-3 win over Rainier Beach but a team doesn’t win like this without a strong pitching performance and that’s what the Seahawks got out of starter Isac Bauer who went six full innings allowing two runs in the fourth and one run in the sixth inning.

Being up by nine runs in the top of the seventh inning is by no measure a free pass, this writer has watched a team score eleven runs in one inning. That’s where the closer comes into play. For the Seahawks that closer was Mason Moe. He did what closers are expected to do. Take care of the batters in order that come to the plate. Even with a lead as big as this it can be a tense situation.

No quarter can be given against the opponent, and no quarter is what reliever Mason Moe delivered. Facing the middle of the Viking order Moe caught the first two Beach batters looking and the umpire took that familiar pose that leaves little doubt of the call. “You’re out”! The third batter took two called strikes without swinging and on the third pitch, as if feeling the need to make something happen he wound up and delivered a huge swing only to find air. “You’re out” could be heard across the field and the tension that could be felt only a few minutes earlier melted away as Seahawk players high fived each other as they headed toward the dugout. Mason Moe got big high fives from the coaching staff. It took Moe eleven pitches to take care of three batters who never once made contact with the ball.

Sealth will face this same Rainier Beach team on Friday when they travel to face the Vikings on their home field at 3:30 pm.