Cowboys lasso title, 8-4
 
Lefty Cray fans 13 as Chimacum wins 2nd title in five years

By ROGER UNDERWOOD
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

They grew up together, playing catch and perhaps dreaming of a moment triumphantly shared Saturday night at Yakima County Stadium.

"We're cousins," Landon Cray said, pointing proudly to his Chimacum teammate and batterymate, Austin McConnell, as the Cowboys celebrated an 8-4 defeat of Tenino for the Class 1A state championship. "It's crazy right now, all the emotions I'm feeling. To finally win here, after what we've gone through -- this is the best."

Chimacum (24-2), which claimed its second state title in five years, finished third here in 2009 and second last year.

"It's hard to find the words," said first-year coach Jim Dunn after his squad had scored at least one run in each of the first five innings and rode the five-hit, 13-strikeout pitching of Cray. "It's great to see these kids rewarded for all the hard work they've put in, and to see the team that in my opinion was the best team win the game."

Dunn said the four runs scored by Tenino (19-8) were the most yielded by Cray all season. Yet the junior left-hander seemed in command after the Beavers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, striking out the side in the second and not allowing a hit until the fourth.

Cray, who got the final out in Friday's 6-4 semifinal win over Bellevue Christian, was touched up for three hits and three runs in the fifth, the key blow being Derek Mozzone's two-out, two-run single.

But by that time Chimacum had a 7-1 cushion, using clutch hitting from McConnell and taking advantage of four Beaver errors.

McConnell, who finished 3 for 4, had an infield single and scored in the Cowboys' three run first, pumped a two-run triple to right-center in the second and capped the scoring with an RBI single in the fifth.

"We knew Tenino would be scrappy," said McConnell, one of seven Chimacum juniors. "We knew we'd have to hit, even with Landon on the mound, and we did."

Egan Cornachione and Mike Nordberg, the Cowboys' eighth and ninth hitters, had two hits each and Cray, hitting in the leadoff spot, walked twice and scored twice.

By the top of the seventh, Dunn said Cray's pitch count had reached 115. But the slender left-hander still had velocity and command, not to mention adrenaline.

And after getting the first out on a comebacker to the mound, Cray finished in style by fanning the next two hitters.

After the final out, he threw his glove high into the air and embraced McConnell in a bear hug before both players were buried beneath jubilant teammates.

"I will never, ever forget this moment," said Cray, who acknowledged that he's already been contacted by college scouts. "I've got another year (in high school), so I've got a lot of time to weigh my options. But right now I'm just going to enjoy this."

Tenino seventh: Watterson grounds out to pitcher; Harris strikes out; Cavin strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Chimacum sixth: Dukuk grounds out to short; Eldridge safe on third baseman's fielding error; Bishop singles to left; Chamberlain replaces Watterson on mound; Ajax strikes out looking; Cornachione grounds out to pitcher. No runs, one hit, one error, two runners left on base.  

Tenino sixth: Schlesser strikes out; Hammond singles to center; Egge strikes out; Peterson strikes out. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base.

Chimacum fifth: Cornachione grounds out to first; Nordberg doubles to center; Cray flies out to left; Manix walks; McConnell RBI single to left; Manix thrown out at plate 2-1-5-2 on double-steal attempt. One run, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.  

Tenino fifth: Peterson strikes out, safe at first on passed ball; Watterson singles to left; Harris grounds into 1-5 fielder's choice, Peterson out at third; Cavin RBI single to right-center; Cavin steals second; Mozzone 2RBI single to center; Mozzone caught stealing at second; Chamberlain grounds out to third. Three runs, three hits, no errors, no runners left on base.   

Chimacum fourth: Manix reaches on shortstop's booted grounder, steals second; McConnell flies out to left; Manix scores from second on errant pickoff attempt by catcher; Dukuk walks; Eldridge strikes out, advances to second on wild pitch; Bishop walks; Ajax strikes out. One run, no hits, two errors, two runners left on base.  

Tenino fourth: Mozzone doubles to center; Chamberlain hit by pitch; Schessler sacrifice bunt; Hammond strikes out; Egge strikes out. No runs, one hit, no errors, two runners left on base.

Chimacum third: Eldridge strikes out; Bishop grounds out to catcher; Ajax singles to right; Cornachione singles to right; Nordberg RBI single to left; Cray flies out to center. One run, three hits, no errors, two runners left on base. 

Tenino third: Watterson pops out to short; Harris grounds out to short; Cavin strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base

Chimacum second: Cornachione singles past first, caught trying to steal second; Nordberg walks; Cray walks; Manix reaches on fielder's choice, Nordberg forced at third; McConnell 2RBI triple to center; Dukek flies out to center. Two runs, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Tenino second: Hammond strikes out looking; Egge strikes out; Peterson strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Chimacum first: Cray walks; Manix grounds out to second; McConnell infield single to short; Dukek safe on third baseman's fielding error, Cray scores on error; Eldridge strikes out, runners advance on wild pitch; Bishop reaches on throwing error by shortstop, scoring McConnell; Bishop steals second; Dukek scores on wild pitch, Bishop moves to third; Ajax strikes out. Three runs, one hit, two errors, one runner left on base. 

Tenino first: Harris walks, steals second; Cavin strikes out; Mozzone grounds into fielder's choice, Harris safe at third (beats throw); Mozzone steals second; Chamberlain grounds to short, Harris tagged out 6-2-5-1; Schlesser reaches on fielding error at second, scoring Mozzone, Chamberlain tagged out 6-2 at home. One run, no hits, one error, on

Starting lineups
   Tenino -- Harris, cf; Cavin, lf; Mozzone, ss; Chamberlain, 3b; Schlesser, c; Hammond, 2b; Egge, rf; Peterson, 1b; Watterson, p.
   Chimacum -- Cray, p; Manix, cf; McConnell, c; Dukek, lf; Eldridge, ss; Bishop, 1b; Ajax, dh (for Tjemslund, rf); Cornachione, 3b; Nordberg, 2b.