3A Baseball | O'Dea thumps Bainbridge 10-3 for title

In one unforgettable third inning, the energy circulating through the O'Dea dugout was palpable. One hit followed another, until not a single Irish batter believed he wasn't going to add on.

"Everyone's pumped up," senior John Richmond recalled. "Everyone's just a lot louder, and everyone's much more aggressive. And that's what you need to have a big inning."

This big inning will live on forever on the wall of O'Dea's gymnasium, because the Irish's six-run third was the big difference in a 10-3 O'Dea victory against Bainbridge in the Class 3A state championship game Saturday at Safeco Field.

"It was amazing, everything we worked for this season," Richmond said.

The Irish (18-7) led 1-0 going into the bottom of third when Cameron Welch and Shane Smith got aboard with hits. Shane Smith walked to load the bases with one out, setting up sophomore Keenan Forch for the hardest-hit ball of the weekend.

Forch hit a deep fly that fell just short of the 405-foot sign in center field for a double that scored in two runs.

"I hit it, and I was just kind of in awe — and then I remembered I had to run," Forch said.

Paul Sitkowski, another sophomore, followed with a two-run single before Richmond doubled him home.

"They play the game the right way," Bainbridge coach Jayson Gore said of O'Dea.

The Spartans (19-8) managed only six hits missed early opportunities, especially the top of the first. Bainbridge loaded the bases with one out, but O'Dea starter Daniel Engelhart got out of the inning with a pop-out and strikeout.

"We just couldn't get a hit," Gore said.

O'Dea coach Mike Doyle pointed to an April game against Bainbridge, when the short-handed Irish came back to beat Spartans ace Colin Feldtman, as a turning point in the season.

"It turned into kind of a formula, to come back late — hang around, hang around and come back in the sixth and seventh innings and score some runs," Doyle said.

The Irish got to the championship game with two straight late comebacks. But they didn't need it Saturday.

"They got it done early," Doyle said, laughing. "They didn't want me to start chewing on my fingernails."

Third-place game

West Valley (Yakima) 5, Timberline 3

Behind a three-run first inning, the Rams (18-9) tied their third-highest finish in school history and handed the top-ranked Blazers from Lacey just their fourth loss of the season.

After getting back-to-back singles to start the inning, West Valley took advantage of freshman pitcher Ryne Shelton to score three runs on walks. The Rams, who had only five hits, added a pair of runs in the second and held on after Timberline cut the lead to 5-3.

Right fielder Kyle Jones went 2 for 4 with an RBI double and scored twice West Valley. Like O'Dea on Friday, Timberline was careful with West Valley slugger Corey Urquhart, but he managed to hit an RBI single.

West Valley starter Konnor Wyckoff threw a complete game, scattering 11 hits.

Even with back-to-back losses, it was the best finish in school history for Timberline (23-4).