(Wildcats’ Clay Pecora)

Story and photos by Tracy Burrows
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

West Seattle High School finished second in the District 2 3A baseball tournament, losing to the Ballard Beavers on Saturday by a score of 2-1 at Steve Cox Memorial Park‘s Mel Olson Stadium. It was a chilly afternoon, with an occasional downpour that sent fans crowding toward the center of the covered seats. The players were unfazed by the weather and the game was tight throughout the contest.

Ballard capitalized on classic small-ball play in the first inning, scoring a run on a single and stolen base followed by an RBI single. West Seattle threatened to tie up the game in the third when Ryan Typpi (photo above) walked and Lincoln Scott was hit by a pitch. With two out and runners on first and second, Sacha Ninburg ripped a single to center field, but Typpi was gunned down at home on a great throw by the Ballard outfielder to end the inning. Ballard added an insurance run in the bottom of the third, fueled by a double and an RBI single to take a 2-0 lead.

Ninburg continued his torrid hitting in the top of the sixth, crushing a lead-off double. Clay Pecore followed with a run-scoring single, narrowing Ballard’s lead to 2-1. In the seventh, West Seattle loaded the bases with a walk, a single by Cody Buehring, and another walk. But the Ballard closing pitcher was able to work out of the jam with three fly ball outs to end the ball game.

West Seattle pitchers Jacob McCall, Seth Rutman (photo above), and Oliver Heltzel combined to limit a talented Ballard team to just two runs.

Both teams are headed to the 3A State Championship tournament, which starts Tuesday at various sites; the final rounds will take place in Yakima.