Colton splits, advances in district baseball

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | May 13, 20150

Colton met Almira-Coulee-Hartline – a playoff opponent for the sixth consecutive year – Tuesday night to open the 2015 postseason. The winner would receive an automatic berth into the state tournament.

Colton won 7-2 to secure that, and then advanced to play Liberty Christian.

They lost 3-2.

The Wildcats now travel to University High School in Spokane Saturday for an 11 a.m. state seeding game vs. Republic.

The game will decide the No. 3 and No. 4 seed in the state bracket.

Colton beat Republic in last year’s district playoffs.

“They were a good young team last year,” Doumit said. “And they’ve aged well.”

Colton 7, Almira-Coulee Hartline 2

Wildcats’ junior Carter Dahmen took the mound and threw all seven innings Tuesday to allow two hits and two walks with a career-high 16 strikeouts.

A.C.H. scored the game’s first run in the first inning before Colton answered with three.

Austin Meyer took first base with a bunt for a single followed by a double from Dahmen, a base hit from Grant Kinzer and another single from Peter Schultheis.

“Big innings are tough to come by against A.C.H.,” said Doumit. “Always have been. You just try to add a chip here and there.”

With a 3-1 lead, Colton watched Dahmen strike out opposing batters and in the fifth, the Wildcats took their final lead of 7-2 off of an RBI-single from Reece Chadwick.

Schultheis led at the plate in the game, going 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

Colton only committed two errors.

“It always starts with pitching. And we played fine behind Carter,” Doumit said.

Liberty Christian 3, Colton 2

After they beat Curlew earlier in the day, Liberty Christian met Colton.

A team that the Wildcats swept in the regular season came out and took the win this time, 3-2.

Colton led 2-0 until L.C. put together three runs in the fifth.

The Wildcats threatened in the third with two runners on and in the sixth again but couldn’t get anyone else across the plate.

In the sixth, Chadwick hit into a ground ball doubleplay to end the game.

Chadwick also pitched, throwing for six innings to allow five hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

“They defended really well,” said Doumit. “We ground out 11 times in the game and they didn’t kick it once.”