Pats net ticket to Colfax round

Pullman Patriots collected the last Spokane ticket to the American Legion regional playoff with Colfax senior JJ Robinson throwing a six-hitter for a 9-3 win over the Northstars Sunday in the final elimination game. The win, and a decision to forfeit a third game to determine seeding, nailed the number-four ticket for the Patriots who were slated to play the Twin City Titans of Kennewick Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the start of the four team regional at McDonald Park.

In taking the last game forfeit at Spokane, the Pats opted into the number-four slot which sent them to McDonald. They also saved pitching innings, a factor which becomes more important at playoff time.

McDonald is one of four sites for the state Legion’s regional play. Sixteen teams qualified around the state and the top two from each playoff will compete in the state finals next week at Selah.

Other playoff sites this week are at Selah, Centralia and Bellevue.

First round game Wednesday morning at Colfax also matched Bellevue against Pacific Tech. The playoffs will follow a double elimination format.

The league playoffs at Spokane ended with the Cannons taking the number-two slot, and the Blue Devils number three. The season ended for the 49ers and the Northstars.

The league leading Bandits rated an automatic tickets into the regionals this week and will travel to Selah this weekend. The Blue Devils are at Bellevue and the Cannons are at Chehalis.

The Patriots Sunday went into the final elimination game against the Northstars after bowing to the Cannons 1-16 in the first round of the playoffs Saturday. Sunday’s game was moved to Ferris after a sprinkler failure flooded Jackson Field at Shadle.

The Patriots booked 13 hits off the Northstars with Dusty Lyons of Asotin tagging three hits with a homer. Brady Mooney had two hits with a homer.

Both of those homers came in the second inning and netted two RBIs. The Patriots scored six runs in the inning to stake a 7-0 lead.

The stars bounced back to score three in the top of the next inning, but that was the end of it. Robinson shut them out for the last six innings.

Robinson struck out six Northstar batters and walked zero.

He also tagged a double and single for the Pats’ offense. Nick Scourey tripled; Jackson Webb doubled and Lance Lindgren had two hits in the qualifier.

The Pats went into the elimination game after taking a 1-16 crunch from the Cannons Saturday at Jackson Field. The Cannons finished with 16 hits off Nick Scourey, Mason Van Lith and Matt Peterson.

Dusty Lyons of Asotin tagged a double for the lone Patriot hit. It scored Robinson who was on base with a walk.

Cody McGlothlin was the winning pitcher for the Cannons.

The Patriots qualified fourth in the six-team league playoff after splitting with the Bandits, the league leaders, in Spokane last Thursday night. The Bandits took the first game 6-3 with nine hits. The Pats had three hits, a homer by Jackson Webb, double by Jeremy Druffell and a single by Robinson.

The Bandits scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie.

Pullman came back for a 9-4 win in the second game with 11 hits. Nick Cundy and Van Lith pitched. Van Lith struck out the side in the last inning to get the save.

The split Thursday finished the Patriots league run at 8-12. They were 23-23 overall going into the four-team regional at Colfax Wednesday.