Baseball: Cruisers drop a 1-0 thriller at Toutle Lake

Fans who traveled to Toutle witnessed a classic pitchers’ duel on March 20.

Eatonville’s Payton Hanly pitched a complete game, allowing only one run on three hits. Unfortunately, Toutle Lake’s Connor Cox and Kyler Shellenbarger outdid that performance by combining to strike out 10 Eatonville hitters. They allowed only three hits on their way to a 1-0 shutout of the Cruisers.

The difference in the game came in the third inning. After getting the leadoff batter to line out to shortstop, Hanly walked Zach Swanson. He advanced to second on a Hanly balk and then stole third base before scoring the eventual game-winning run on a ball that got by catcher Ethan Evans.

Eatonville’s Hanly went the distance for the Cruisers, throwing six innings and only giving up one run on three hits, walking four and striking out five Fighting Duck batters. The walk and balk in the third inning that allowed the winning run to score was his only downfall in the game.

“Payton pitched a great game for us,” head coach Doug Fillbach said. “He was able to throw a lot of strikes that allowed his defense to work behind him. It was a great effort by him and a solid team performance, as well.”

The Cruisers had a couple of scoring chances in the game. In the third inning, they stranded a runner in scoring position at second base. In the seventh inning, the Cruisers had both the tying and winning runs on second and third bases. Michael Stogsdill hit a line drive to right field that the fielder caught on a diving play to make the final out and end the Cruisers’ scoring chances. Had the right fielder not made that play, both runs would have scored and put Eatonville ahead 2-1.

“That’s baseball,” Fillbach said. “Our job is to get into as many of those scoring situations as possible so that next time it goes our way.”

Owen Archer collected two of the three Cruiser hits on the day.

The Cruisers hosted the Montesano Bulldogs in a double-header Tuesday and will finish the week in Elma by taking on the Eagles at 4 p.m. Friday.

TOUTLE LAKE 1, EATONVILLE 0

Eatonville     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 2

Toutle Lake   0 0 1 0 0 0 x — 1 3 1

PITCHING: P. Hanly 6.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 4BB, 5K

HIGHLIGHTS: O. Archer 2-3. K. Smith 1-4.