Jr. San Nicolas cranked his first two home runs of the season as Timberline blew out River Ridge 10-1 Thursday to secure the fifth straight sweep in the rivalry.
It was River Ridge’s Jalon Fulton who took the first punch, delivering a leadoff single in the top of the first inning and coming around to score on the throw. Timberline took the lead in the bottom of the first as Zane Fraser’s leadoff double turned into a run due to a stolen base and an error, and Dalton Abbott drove in a run on a sacrifice.
River Ridge put two runners on in each of the second and third innings but could not score against Timberline starter Ryan Wolfe and the Blazers defense. Marley Gamble and Caleb Bacon picked up RBIs in the third inning to build a three-run lead, and San Nicolas cranked a two-run shot in the fourth on the first pitch of the at bat to make it 6-1 Blazers.
His second homer came in a leadoff spot and on a 3-1 count in the bottom of the sixth.
“Jr. is a super talented kid who has great approaches at the plate. I think today he was obviously sitting on certain pitches with a great approach and didn’t miss them,” Timberline head coach Doug LaPalm said. “It was fun to watch.”
Wolfe pitched six strong innings, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while collecting four strikeouts. San Nicolas closed out the nine-run victory with a clean inning on the mound in the seventh.
Timberline (7-7, 7-6 Puget Sound League) sits firmly in third place in the Nisqually Division. The Blazers will trek to Tacoma Friday to face 2A Fife at Cheney Stadium, while River Ridge (8-8, 5-8 PSL) will get some rest before visiting Mount Tahoma (0-15, 0-13 PSL) Tuesday, April 28.
