Known more for its offense this season, Doug Christie showed on Monday that the Kentlake High baseball team still has plenty of talent on the mound, too.
Christie, a righthander, delivered his finest pitching performance of the season, working six near-perfect innings in a 8-0 South Puget Sound League North Division win over Auburn Riverside on Monday.
Christie allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out 12.
“It was really key,” said Kentlake coach Jason Evans. “He needed that. He has been struggling a little bit this year, not quite as dominating as he was last year. I think he really needed that.”
The win helped the Falcons (10-6 in league) cement the SPSL North’s No. 3 seed into today’s league tournament at Kent Memorial Park.
It was Kentlake’s fourth-straight win to end the regular season.
Christie also provided plenty of offense, collecting two hits and two runs batted in. Brandon Cinkovich and Bobby Joe Tannehill also had two hits and two RBIs apiece.
After hitting a bump in the road midway through the season, the Falcons appear back to the form that helped them earn last year’s league title.
“I think right now, we’re where we need to be,” Evans said. “We’re at an 0-0 record and ready to make a 6-0 run.”
Kentridge eliminated
Kentridge entered Monday afternoon’s game against Federal Way with a chance to force a tie-breaker for the fourth-and-final playoff berth from the SPSL North.
All the Chargers had to do was win.
Instead, Federal Way pulled an upset, scoring four times in the bottom of the fifth inning to turn back the Chargers, 6-5. The loss dropped Kentridge to 8-8 in league play, one game behind Thomas Jefferson (9-7).
Cory Hamada led Kentridge with three hits and a run scored.
• ALSO: Kentwood (14-2) finished the regular season on a winning note Monday, knocking off Auburn 6-2. Kent Hagen picked up the win on the mound for the Conquerors. … Kent-Meridian lost to Tahoma on Monday, 19-0, finishing the regular season 0-15.
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