The youthful La Conner Braves got their feet wet when they hosted the 3A Sedro-Woolley Cubs junior varsity in the baseball season opener for both programs on Thursday.
The Braves, with two eighth graders in their starting lineup, fell 7-1 but coach Preston Stewart considered the afternoon a victory of sorts since La Conner got four innings in on a chilly, rainy afternoon ahead of this week’s scheduled two-game NW2B/1B series with league power Mount Vernon Christian.
“It was spring training in winter weather,” Stewart quipped afterward. “The big thing is, we got to get a game under our belts, which was great, especially for our younger players. It was important to be able to work on game situations before starting our league season.”
Despite the constant cold drizzle, Braves reliever Kaleb Otis was in mid-season form, limiting Sedro-Woolley to just one hit and a lone run in three innings. The junior right-hander came on with none out in the second and quickly induced a line drive out to third baseman Angus Poprycz, who completed an unassisted double play by stepping on the bag ahead of a wayward Cub baserunner.
Otis then served up an inning-ending grounder to Braves shortstop Nolan Elde, who joined catcher Emmit Alvord as eighth grade starters for La Conner.
Otis finished with three strikeouts while issuing only one walk.
Otis also tallied La Conner’s one run. He led off the home first with a walk, stole second and third, and then plated on a wild pitch.
Sedro-Woolley starter Braxton Anderson responded by fanning the next three La Conner hitters to thwart the early Braves threat.
The Cubs parlayed a hit batsman, two walks and a single into a pair of first inning runs. La Conner got out of the frame when Alvord flipped the ball to Poprycz at the plate to nab a Sedro-Woolley runner attempting to score on a wild pitch.
The visitors, aided by three walks and another hit batsman, tacked on four insurance runs in the second.
Poprycz and Kamien Lopez reached the hit column for La Conner. Lopez delivered a flare to right field with two outs in the third. Poprycz led off the fourth with a single to right.
Trevor Parker and Hunter Schneider each had a single for Sedro-Woolley.
La Conner is slated to open league play with a 4 p.m. Tuesday home game against Mount Vernon Christian and a rematch at 6 p.m. Thursday in Mount Vernon.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
