East Valley's Kevin Elkins slides safely into third for a triple against Cedarcrest in the Class 2A state baseball semifinals Friday at Yakima County Stadium.   ANDY SAWYER/Yakima Herald-Republic

Komstadius leads EV into finals, 3-1
 
Left-handed hurler strikes out 13 batters in winning effort

By ROGER UNDERWOOD
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Not bad for an encore, for either him or them.

Six days after Kevin Komstadius pitched the game of his life and East Valley advanced to the Class 2A state baseball semifinals, the Red Devils on Friday took an unprecedented step for their program.

With Komstadius pitching a three-hitter and striking out 13, EV reached tonight's championship game with a 3-1 victory over Cedarcrest at cloudy, breezy Yakima County Stadium.

The No. 8 Red Devils (20-6) will oppose No. 1 and defending champion Sehome at 7 p.m. Saturday, also at Yakima County Stadium. It will be the first title game in their baseball history.

The Mariners (22-4) earned the chance at another crown by downing Pullman 21-5 Friday night. Cedarcrest (19-7) and Pullman (15-8) will meet at 1 p.m. today for third and fourth places.

"We've got to win one more," said Komstadius, whose one-hit, 17-strikeout dominance of West Valley-Spokane last Saturday got EV's state run started. "But a state championship is something I've dreamed about since ... I guess since I first found out there are state championships."

The Red Devils, who reached the 2006 semis before dropping two games to finish fourth, were equal to the task this time.

They punched across a first-inning run, saw the No. 10 Red Wolves draw even in the third, then produced some solid situational hitting to score twice in the fourth.

Komstadius, who walked in Cedarcrest's run with his third free pass of the inning, then regained his command. And the rest, as EV fans would delight in saying, was history.

"I made the comment the other day about him being a 14-year-old (in an adult's body), but does he step up or what?" Red Devils coach Jesse Benedetti said. "He really fought out there."

As did others.

Trent Sikes got EV on the board in the bottom of the first when he doubled into the left-field corner with one out, then scored when Komstadius' shot went through first baseman Cameron Padron's legs.

In the third, Komstadius walked leadoff hitter Jeffrey Coble, and when Matt Coltom's bunt spun from foul territory into fair, catcher Nick Woods threw beyond the reach of his teammate at first to put runners at second and third.

A groundout and strikeout later, Komstadius walked Dakota Bunce to load the bases, then passed Padron to tie the score.

"Sometimes as a pitcher, you want to pump yourself up and throw the ball by everybody," Komstadius said. "But you usually can't do that and throw strikes. Later in the game I was able sto get my changeup over -- I got the last guy on one, for example. That was my favorite pitch."

Senior Kevin Elkins, who went from the bottom third of Benedetti's lineup early this season to the cleanup spot, started the East Valley fourth with a towering blast to left that Coble tracked for what seemed an eternity. Coble was unable to run it down near the wall, however, and Elkins slid safely into third with a triple.

"He threw me a fastball, and I was sitting dead red," Elkins said. "I jumped on it and hit the heck out of it."

Said Benedetti, "Kevin absolutely killed that ball. And he's done that a lot since we moved him up."

After Bobby Pottenger walked and stole second, Mark Clements pushed a single through the right side of Cedarcrest's drawn-in infield, scoring Elkins. Pottenger took third on the play, then scored on Kory Sauve's sacrifice fly to center.

The Red Wolves, who had one hit through the first six innings, added two in the seventh. But Komstadius, with runners at first and second and one out, struck out pinch-hitter Travis Cook and then fanned Bunce to ignite a prolonged infield celebration.

"We're in the championship game," said a beaming Sikes, who joined Elkins as the only players with two hits. "To do this is an awesome experience. But now we want to win one more."

So who will take the mound tonight when the Red Devils seek to take another quantum leap in their blossoming baseball history? Jordan Cameron, Elkins and Ryan Schoonover worked EV's 14-10 quarterfinal win over Selah last week.

"Don't know yet," Benedetti said. "I'd obviously throw Komo again if I could. But we'll find somebody."

Cedarcrest 7th: Elwell singles to center; Colton strikes out; Edwards singles to left; Cook strikes out; Bunce strikes out. No runs, two hits, no errors, two runners left on base.

East Valley 6th: Pottenger flies out to center; Schoonover singles to center; Clements flies out to right; Sauve lines out to left. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base.

Cedarcrest 6th: Chittenden grounds out to third; Bishop grounds out to third; Olson strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

East Valley 5th: Smith strikes out; Sikes singles to left; Komstadius flies out to center; Elkins grounds out to short. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base.

Cedarcrest 5th: Klingenberg strikes out looking; Bunce hit by pitch, then caught stealing 1-3-6; Padron lines out to right. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

East Valley 4th: Elkins triples to left field; Pottenger walks, then steals second on 1-2 pitch; Schoonover strikes out looking; Clements singles to right, scoring Elkins; Clements steals second on 1-0 pitch; Sauve hits sac fly to center, scoring Pottenger; Woods strikes out. Two runs, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Cedarcrest 4th: Bishop reaches on fielding error by shortstop; Olson sac bunts 5-3; Coble walks; Colton strikes out; Edwards flies out to right. No runs, no hits, one error, two runners left on base.

East Valley 3rd: Smith bunts back to pitcher for first out; Sikes flies out to right; Komstadius grounds out to first. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Cedarcrest 3rd: Coble walks; Colton sac bunts, catcher throws ball into right field, allowing runners to advance to second and third; Edwards grounds out to third; Klingenbery strikes out looking; Bunce walks; Padron walks, scoring Coble; Chittenden strikes out. One run, no hits, one error, three runners left on base.

East Valley 2nd: Clements walks; Sauve grounds into 4-6-3 double play; Woods strikes out looking. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Cedarcrest 2nd: Chittenden lines out to third; Bishop strikes out looking; Olson strikes out looking. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

East Valley 1st: Smith strikes out; Sikes doubles to left; Komstadius grounds to first, ball goes through first baseman's legs, allowing Sikes to score from second; Elkins singles to center; Pottenger strikes out; Schoonover grounds into 5-u fielder's choice. One run, two hits, one error, two runners left on base.

Cedarcrest 1st: Edwards strikes out; Klingenbery strikes out looking; Bunce singles to center; Padron strikes out looking. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base.

Starting lineups
   Cedarcrest -- Edwards, 3b; Klingenbery, dh; Bunce, c; Padron, 1b; Chittenden, rf; Bishop, ss; Olson, cf; Coble, lf; Colton, 2b.
   East Valley -- Smith, ss; Sikes, lf; Komstadius, p; Elkins, 1b; Pottenger, cf; Schoonover, 3b ; Clements, rf; Sauve, 2b, Woods, c.