Bruins turn two on Wildcats

Crause, a junior right-hander, improved to 7-1 with a complete-game performance in game one that included six strikeouts and just one walk. He gave up five hits.

The Bruins connected for nine hits off Wildcats ace Josh Williamson, who yielded four earned runs but also fanned six, picked off a runner at first base and didn't walk anybody.

"Williamson is probably one of the top four pitchers in the league," Bruins Coach Larry McCutcheon said. "When he's on the hill, they're pretty tough."

La Center staked Williamson to a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning, scoring one run with a basehit and another on a CHS error.

But the Bruins rallied for three in the last of the fourth to regain the lead.

With runners on second and third and one out, junior Matthew Carlock singled to bring in Peck, who led off with his second of two basehits.

After a strikeout, senior Paul Courtney singled to right field to score both Dayne Combelic and Carlock.

Columbia scored its first run in the bottom of the first.

Verley singled with two away, stole second, and came home on Peck's RBI single.

In game two, Peck pitched a five-inning two-hitter and drove in four runs with a double, sacrifice fly and solo home run.

His two-out homer came during the Bruins' six-run fourth inning and followed a two-run shot by Verley.

"Every player in our lineup got a hit except (senior Adam) Hogberg, who got on base all three times," McCutcheon noted.

Hogberg, who walked twice and was hit by a pitch, had three stolen bases and scored twice.

CHS opened the scoring in the home half of the first.

Senior Bryan Charters singled to lead off and stole second. Verley walked to set the table for Peck, who doubled with one out to drive in two runs.

That was all Peck needed as he struck out three and walked none to raise his record to 5-1.

The double-header sweep kept CHS in a first-place deadlock with Ridgefield at 10-2. The two title contenders were scheduled to play here Tuesday afternoon for the fourth and final time.

"We're in control of our own destiny," McCutcheon reflected. "If we beat Ridgefield, we still have to win out the rest of the way."

Conversely, if the Spudders win, it'll be tough for the Bruins to catch them. "And even if we do, they'll have the tiebreaker because they'll have won the season series," McCutcheon added.

At Columbia High 7, Goldendale 6 --

Eric Crause singled with two out in the bottom of the sixth April 16 to drive in Hayden Weiler with what proved to be the winning run.

That run made it 7-3. Goldendale rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to make it close.

Senior right-hander Chris Peck (5 Ks, 0 walks, 2 earned runs) got the decision for CHS, pitching 4@FN(1)@FD(3) innings of six-hit ball before turning a 5-2 lead over to sophomore Brandon Verley.

Verley struggled in his relief stint, yielding three hits, two walks and three earned runs.

But he atoned for it at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a double and a big solo home run in the last of the sixth. He also scored three runs and stole a base.

Peck was a standout with the bat and on the bases, as well. He went 2 for 4 with three runs batted in and two stolen bases.

Peck drove in runs in the first and third innings with fielder's choice ground balls, and singled in the fifth to plate another.

Freshman Jon Bryan, who was 2 for 3, sent a run home in the first with a two-out single. Bryan Charters contributed two runs and two steals.