By Gerardo Bolong

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

UNIVERSITY PLACE - Colin Heffernan's two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning at Curtis High School on Sat., May 11, completed a dominating 11-1 win on a five-inning mercy rule against Klahowya to earn the Seattle Christian Warrior baseball team the second and final seed from West Central 1A district into the state tournament.

After a tough 4-3 loss to Bellevue Christian in the district championship on Thurs., May 9, Seattle Christian rebounded strongly.

"You focus on what you did wrong, practice, and just play the next game," said Heffernan. "We're in and will just keep playing hard."

The Warriors (16-5) will open regional action on May 18 at Castle Rock High School. The game is scheduled for 10 a.m.

Seattle Christian struck early with a fearsome first inning.

Following a hit by pitch to Keaton Banister, Connor Knack drew a walk ahead of a Heffernan to load the bases. With being hit by a pitch a seeming fad, Trevor Clute forced an SC run home by taking a hit for the team. Jeff Sichmeller's ground out scored two runs ahead of Sam Bock's RBI single culminated a four-run first.

The Eagles scored in the third inning when an infield single joined a catcher's overthrow for an unearned run.

Bock hit in another run on a third inning ground out to make the score 5-1. This situation was set up by Clute's sharp single and stolen base ahead of Jeff Sichmeller's sacrifice fly to right field.

In the fourth inning, SC's Keaton Banister slammed a 330 foot drive to the left field fence for a one-out double. One out later, two consecutive infield errors put runners on base while also plating a run. Sichmeller then blasted a two RBI single.  Bock then closed out the four-run inning salvo by notching an RBI single.

Leading 9-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Seattle Christian worked for an early kill.

In sequence, Banister reached base on an infield error and Knack doubled down the left field line to set the stage for the Heffernan game-clinching hit.

For the game,  pitcher Nolen Stevenson was in good command on a four-hitter aided by 10 strikeouts.

"I wanted to get ahead in the count," he said. "I trusted my pitching and infield. I threw a lot of fast balls because I'm a hard hurler and smiled a lot."