14-Year-Old Hawks All-Stars Take First At Lynden Tournament - beating the Puget Sound Green Sox
Write up written by: Ric Raunio

http://www.mtyaabaseball.org/

If you were wondering what the source of the loud roar that echoed through-out the region was at 8:23pm Sunday night – it was fans of the 14 Year-Old MTYAA Hawks All-Stars celebrating the final out in a 4-2 victory over the “Ultra-Select” Puget Sound Green Sox in the Championship game of the Lynden Mid-Summer Baseball Tournament.

The coaching staff of Frank Marier, Scott Crawford and Mike Woeck knew they had a solid team after strong showing in two previous tournaments – but they were able to elevate the team’s play up several notches in this tournament – especially on the second day of the tournament, when they faced tough competition in three games – starting at 9am and wrapping up late at night.

The MTYAA Hawks came into the tournament with a record of 7-1 – finishing third in the Yakima Tournament (losing a close game to the Sandy Koufax State Champion Puget Sound Roxx) – and winning the Maple Valley Tournament. In the Lynden Tourny pool play, the Hawks had two wins and a loss (to the Green Sox). In that game, the Hawks were able to hang with the Green Sox until the 5th inning, when a hit batter, a walk and some key hits allowed the Green Sox to pull ahead for a 6-2 victory. In the semi-finals, the Hawks faced the first seed from the other pool – the Maltby Heat. Using big bats, and strong pitching, the Hawks overwhelmed the heat 10-2 to set up a rematch with the Green Sox in the Championship Game. Going into the tournament, the Green Sox had a record of 62-7 and were ranked 6th in the Nation (if you believe everything on their website). This time, it was the Green Sox who were able to hang with the Hawks for an inning until the Hawks pulled ahead 3 to 2 in the second inning thanks to a 300 ft - plus blast over the center-fielders head by Zack Berg. Base runner Jacob Hibbard scored easily from second base - while Berg was already past second base when the center fielder picked up the ball – scoring well ahead of the throw with an in-side-the-park home run. The Hawks added an insurance run in the 3rd inning when Brian Brown scored from 2nd base on a fielder's choice by Keanan Albright (plus an error) (after advancing with a single by Andrew Woeck) – bringing the score to 4 to 2. The Hawks pitching trio of Nate McClellan, Andrew Woeck and Jacob Hibbard went to work and totally shut down the potent Green Sox offense – limiting them to five scattered hits while striking out 10 batters. The Green Sox couldn’t catch up with the heat thrown by the Hawks pitchers – or flailed helplessly at breaking balls.

Over the five-game tournament, strong pitching by McClellan, Woeck and Hibbard – as well as Sam Ewer and Alex Marier made the Championship victory possible – along with big hits, strong base running and quality glove work by Brian Noebel, Chris Raunio, Brian Brown, Keanan Albright (the center field vacuum cleaner), Taylor (Road Runner) Fitch, Tanner Wang and Jared Houghtaling – another total team effort that MTYAA Baseball should be proud of.

Go Hawks!!! Good Luck at Districts!!