What made this Bellingham pitcher so effective in a win at Sedro-Woolley?
Senior Kyle Dether threw six scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing no walks, to lead the Bellingham baseball team to a 11-0 non-league victory at Sedro-Woolley on Monday.
“He dealt,” Red Raiders coach AJ Mathews said. “It was the best game I’ve seen him pitch. ... He was really locating his fastball and got ahead of almost every hitter. Then he was playing with his change-up and curve ball once he got ahead.”
Dether got some solid backing from the Red Raiders offense, including the top of the order, where leadoff hitter Kyle Payne went 3 for 4 and No. 2 hitter Ethan Paxton went 2 for 4.
“All around, we got great looks at the plate,” Mathews said. “Guys weren’t swinging at bad pitches. It was a refreshing win after two tough losses.”
Bellingham broke the game open with a seven-run sixth inning that was highlighted by Ethan Bershauer’s two-run double.
Anacortes 3, Ferndale 0: Gene Simpson limited the Seahawks to two hits and struck out five in six innings of work, but Anacortes scored three unearned runs and its left-handed pitchers kept the Golden Eagles offense off balance in a non-league game.
Burlington-Edison 12, Squalicum 6: The young Storm continued to prove that it can put runs on the board, but Squalicum allowed too many walks in a non-league loss. The Storm, which has now scored 32 runs in three games, was led Monday by Owen McCord (2 for 4, run, RBI), Jaymz Knowlton (2 for 2, RBI) and Jack Boysen (1 for 2, RBI, two stolen bases).
Mount Baker 10, Lakewood 9: Mike Kentner drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and scored what proved to be the game-winning run on Chase Barter’s sacrifice fly to right field to lift the Mountaineers to the win in the ninth inning. Kaleb Bass got the win by pitching a scoreless bottom half of the inning, and Caleb Forbes threw four scoreless innings in relief for Mount Baker.
Lynden Christian 5, Nooksack Valley 4: In a game that showed the lack of time both teams have had outside this spring because of the recent wet weather, sophomore Payton Robertson shined, striking out 10 and allowing just one hit through the final four innings to lift the Lyncs to the non-league win. Dylan Vander Yacht went 2 for 3 with a run scored, an RBI, three steals and a walk for LC, while Evan Neitling led the Pioneers by going 2 for 3 with three runs scored and a walk.
Blaine 4, Sehome 0: Jon Gunderson threw 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win and Anthony Ball got the save in the Borderites’ non-league win at Joe Martin Field. Gunderson and Ball combined to hold the Mariners to five hits. Blaine, meanwhile, tallied eight hits, all by different batters. Colby Knutzen’s RBI double in second gave the Borderites the lead before they tacked on three more runs on four hits in the third.
Boys’ soccer
Bellingham 9, Nooksack Valley 0: Spencer Sumpter scored two goals and assisted on a third in the first five minutes of the game to help the Red Raiders to a win in the Northwest Conference opener. Casey Carter also had two goals and an assist, while Anders Mittet, had a goal and two assists and Waylon Uhrig and Adelvin Pascual each logged two assists. Bellingham coach Matt Zigulis credited the Pioneers for the effort they put in despite being short-handed.
This story was originally published March 20, 2017 at 10:08 PM with the headline "What made this Bellingham pitcher so effective in a win at Sedro-Woolley?."