Panthers, Spartans earn trips to state baseball tourneys

The Panthers had known for some time they would compete in the 3A Sweet 16, having won a pair of West Central/Southwest District games on May 6.

BONNEY LAKE

The Panthers had known for some time they would compete in the 3A Sweet 16, having won a pair of West Central/Southwest District games on May 6. Needing a victory to play for the district title, Bonney Lake fell 10-7 to Timberline in a May 13 semifinal contest. A game to determine the district’s No. 3 and No. 4 seeds saw the Panthers taking on Mountain View High Monday afternoon; results came too late to be included here.

State play begins with opening-round games, along with quarterfinals, on May 20, all at regional sites. The state’s Final Four will gather for games May 26 and 27 at Safeco Field in Seattle.

If Bonney Lake won Monday and is the district No. 3 seed, the Panthers will open state play Saturday, May 20, with a 10 a.m. game against Snohomish at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue. If Bonney Lake lost Monday and advances as the district’s No. 4 team, the Panthers will play Edmonds-Woodway at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sherman Anderson Field in Mount Vernon.

The first round games in state play are loser-out contests.

Bonney Lake’s foray into district play started with a 9-3 victory over Prairie and continued with a 4-1 win over Central Kitsap. After Saturday’s semifinal loss, the rains came, pushing the Panthers’ final district game to Monday.

SUMNER

The state’s Class 4A baseball tournament has called for the Sumner Spartans, who will dive into the Sweet 16 as the No. 7 seed from district play.

Sumner opens state play at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 20, taking on Lake Stevens. The Vikings placed fifth in the Wesco Conference. If the Spartans are victorious, they play the winner of a contest between Issaquah and Kentlake. Saturday games, both the first and second round, are loser-out games.

If the Spartans win twice on Saturday, they advance to the Class 4A’s Final Four and play May 26 and 27 at Safeco Field in Seattle.

Sumner High emerged from the West Central/Southwest District tournament after splitting four games. The Spartans dropped their district opener on May 9, falling 5-0 to Kentlake, but secured a state berth the following day when they defeated Auburn Mountainview 6-0 at Heritage Park. Playing for seeding purposes, Sumner lost to Battle Ground 11-2 the morning of May 13 but turned around and beat Skyview 7-3 later that day.

WHITE RIVER

The Hornets saw their season come to a close the afternoon of May 10 after dropping a 1-0 heartbreaker to Port Angeles.

White River’s two-game West Central District experience had a distinct Olympic Peninsula flavor, as the Hornets opened district play May 6 with a loss to the Sequim Wolves. The May 10 loss to the Roughriders meant an ouster from the double-elimination tourney.

White River finished the 2017 campaign – the first under coach Nate Barnett – with an overall mark of 9-12. That included a 7-4 record in South Puget Sound League 2A play, good for second place in the Mountain Division.