SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

A couple longtime Seamount League rivals had to go at each other with "death" on the line. That is, one would escape to play another West Central District game in vying for a state berth and one would not, Mount Rainer would, beating Highline, 20-1, in baseball action at Kent Memorial Park Wednesday.

It's almost a rhetorical question but let's ask it: Was it a tough game?

"Was it a tough game," repeated Rams longtime head coach Darren Rawie, having placed the Rams first place in the Seamount six of the last eight years. "I will say it is a tough opponent. Because of their hitting depth and quality of pitchers."

But it was definitely not a very tough game, the outcome was not in doubt, pretty much, after the first inning. The Rams scored four runs and that offense was backed by the brilliant pitching of Brian Alexander. He threw a one-hitter the whole of his seven innings. An economical 78 pitches thrown, some twisting to the plate and some zipping on in to catcher Jordan Thornton, framing things nicely back there.

"I want to go back to state, I really do," said Alexander,

With the first two batters up in the top of the first inning for the Rams, it was a grounder out from Alexander but a single to right field by Chris Bradley, off a full-count situation at the plate. Then, the next batter struck out. So, it would have to be a two-out rally for the Rams. And, based on the game before, a 5-1 loss to Olympic, the offense was sputtering. But the rally came with the crack of the next batter's bat. Kyle Johnson singled, swinging at the first pitch. Then Desmond Santos made it to first on a shortstop misplay of a hot, bouncing grounder at him. So, bases loaded. And, then, making matters worse for Highline's start and matters better for the Rams' offensive recent woe, Cal Reahard was hit by a pitch, walking in to make it 1-0 Rams.