By Gerardo Bolong

Contributing Writer

Solid pitching and dynamic defense secured a 1A regional baseball championship for the West Central District No. 2 Seattle Christian Warriors in a 4-3 defeat of the Southwest Washington No. 1 Montesano Bulldogs on Sat., May 18, at Castle Rock High School.

The Warriors (18-5) are scheduled to play Colville on Fri., May 24, in a 1p.m. state semifinal at the Yakima County Stadium.

Seattle Christian took advantage of five Montesano errors that helped the Warriors notch two runs in the bottom of the first inning and an additional pair in the third.

Montesano (22-3) countered with a three-run fourth inning.

With the bases loaded, Braeden Dohrman forced home a run on a walk followed by Aaron Lano’s two-run double.

The rest of the game featured Warrior pitching and defense holding off Montesano scoring threats.

In each of the final three innings, Seattle Christian stopped Montesano with the tying run on base.

Monte’s greatest threat appeared in the sixth inning. Tegan Zillyett was at bat with one out and a runner in first base, The senior Bulldog center fielder launched a potential triple off Warrior relief pitcher Colin Heffernan into the right-centerfield gap. Emulating Willie Mays, center fielder Jeff Sichmeller dashed back toward the fence to lay out for a spectacular catch.

Seattle Christian endured one final Montesano attempt to come back in the seventh inning. A Bulldog batter led off with a walk and later reached second base on a two-out error. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, but Heffernan induced the pinch hitter into a line out to right field, ending the match up and clinching a final four appearance for the Warriors.

Nolen Stevenson pitched the first four and one-third innings, allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts for the win.

Heffernan closed out the final two and two-thirds innings, allowing no runs on no hits with two strikeouts for the save.