Big innings lift Rochester to 9-5 championship win
 
Knutz's three-run homer caps Warriors' scoring

By SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Maybe Rochester coach Jerry Striegel saw it coming.

Certainly, his Warriors gave a preview of the explosiveness of their 9-5 Class 1A title-game victory over Kalama a week earlier, when they rallied from three runs down in the seventh inning to beat Tenino at regionals.

Tenino was, coincidentally, where Striegel was coaching when he won his first state championship 22 years ago. On Saturday, his Warriors gave him his second by jumping all over Kalama — which had beaten them three times in four meetings this season — as soon as they had an opening.

A Chinook error on what would have been the third out of the third inning opened the door, and Rochester jumped through it for three runs and then added three more the next inning.

“That’s been their trademark all year,” Striegel said of the Warriors (22-5). “When it came time to hit it, they kept hitting it, hitting it and hitting it.”

The Warriors got 10 hits, including a 3-run home run by Ryan Knutz and three singles from Jarin Ruiz.

“They’ve had our number all season,” Knutz said of the Chinooks (22-3). “We beat them in the first game, they beat us the next three times and we beat them when it matters, I guess.

“Hitting is contagious. When our No. 2 hitter (Chris Bishop) hit a shot to the wall” — driving in the first run of the game in Rochester’s three-run third inning — “there was no stopping us then.”

Rochester starter Jordan Everson had a three-hit shutout going through five innings before Kalama got its offense going, and he had plenty of offensive support.

“Jerry (Striegel) just does a great job of getting his team ready,” first-year Kalama coach Len Hiatt said. “I expected them to hit the ball hard. I just wish it hadn’t been 10 hits.”

Kalama 7th: Neal walks; C. Pierce grounds into fielder's choice at short, Neal forced at second; Walker strikes out looking; Sanders RBI double to right; M. LaRoy RBI single to center; N. LaRoy flies out to right to end game. Two runs, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Rochester 7th: Julsrud strikes out; Aarts doubles to left, thrown out 7-5 trying to stretch hit into a triple; Ortiz bunts back to pitcher. No runs, one hit, no errors, no runners left on base.0

Kalama 6th: C. Pierce hit by pitch; Walker singles to left; Sanders hit by pitch; M. LaRoy grounds into fielder's choice to short, E6 allows everyone to be safe; N. LaRoy grounds to deep short, Sanders forced at third, Walker scores; Pollock grounds into a fielder's choice, N. LaRoy forced at second; Slunaker RBI single over second baseman; S. Pierce strikes out. Three runs, two hits, one error, two runners left on base.

Rochester 6th: Ruiz bunt single to third; Ruiz steals second; Bishop walks; Knutz three-run homer off foul pole in right field; Everson pops out to second; Sanders fouls out to second baseman; Steelhammer ground out to second. Three runs, two hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Kalama 5th: Slunaker strikes out; S. Pierce flies out to right; Neal pops out to second. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Rochester 5th: Julsrud flies out to center; Aarts strikes out looking; Ortiz strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Kalama 4th: Sanders singles to right; M. LaRoy singles to left; N. LaRoy grounds into fielder's choice, M. LaRoy forced at second; Pollock grounds into 4-6-3 double play. No runs, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Rochester 4th: Aarts grounds out to pitcher; Ortiz walks; Ortiz takes second on wild pitch; Ruiz RBI single to center; Ruiz steals second; Bishop RBI single to center; Knutz grounds out to short; Everson RBI single to center; Sanders singles to right, Everson advances to third; Steelhammer strikes out. Three runs, four hits, no errors, two runners left on base.

Kalama 3rd: S. Pierce walks; Neal bunts back to pitcher, S. Pierce forced at second; C. Pierce grounds out to third; Walker strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Rochester 3rd: Aarts strikes out looking; Ortiz strikes out; Ruiz grounds to short, safe on throwing error; Bishop RBI double to left; Knutz RBI single to center; Knutz steals second; Everson walks; Sanders walks to load bases; C. Pierce to pitch for Kalama; Steelhammer hit by pitch, scoring Knutz; Julsrud grounds into fielder's choice back to pitcher. Three runs, two hits, one error, three runners left on base.

Kalama 2nd: N. LaRoy flies out to center; Pollock grounds out to short; Slunaker strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Rochester 2nd: Sanders grounds out to third; Steelhammer grounds out to second; Julsrud grounds out to short. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Kalama 1st: C. Pierce doubles to center; Walker pops out to first; Sanders grounds out to first, C. Pierce to third; M. LaRoy grounds out to second. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base.

Rochester 1st: Ruiz bloop single over short; Bishop sac bunt (1-unassisted); Knutz grounder to short, Ruiz thrown out at third; Knutz steals second; Everson grounds out to short. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base.

Starting lineups
   Rochester -- Ruiz, ss; Bishop, cf; Knutz, c; Everson, p; Sanders, 1b; Steelhammer, lf; Julsrud, 3b; Aarts, rf; Ortiz, 2b.
   Kalama -- C. Pierce, ss; Walker, p; Sanders, cf; M. LaRoy, c; N. LaRoy, lf; Pollock, 1b; Slunaker, 3b; S. Pierce, rf; Neal, 2b.