The La Conner Braves diamond teams polished off NW2B/1B rival Concrete recently, recording double-digit gems ahead of spring break.
The La Conner baseball team, behind solid pitching from eighth grader Nolan Elde and timely hitting throughout the Braves lineup, pounded Concrete 15-4 on March 31 at Janicki Fields in Sedro-Woolley.
With the win, La Conner offset an 11-2 home loss on April 1 to unbeaten league leader Mount Vernon Christian. The Braves now sport a 2-5 overall won-loss ledger and 1-2 league mark going into their 4 p.m. Tuesday date at Coupeville.
Against Concrete, La Conner set the tone early. The Braves, sparked by doubles from Elde and Kaleb Otis, batted around in the top of the first and jumped to a commanding 8-0 lead.
The Lions answered with two tallies in their half of the opening frame, but edged no closer the rest of the way.
Elde kept Concrete in check with nine strikeouts over five innings. He fanned the side in each of the second and fourth innings.
Leading 8-2, La Conner picked up a solo run in the second on Jaylen Pedroza’s run-scoring single to right field.
The Braves added three runs apiece in the third and fourth stanzas.
Otis led off the third with a double down the third base line. He scored on an RBI single by Kamien Lopez. Elde, who later scored on a wild pitch, helped his cause with a single to center that plated Lopez.
In the fourth, Otis walked with two down and promptly stole second. Lopez drove him home with a booming double to center. Elde then launched a deep fly to left that fell for a two-bagger that scored Lopez. Moments later, Elde scored again on another errant Lions pitch.
Concrete responded with only lone runs in the third and fifth innings.
Hot bats
In softball action, La Conner defeated Concrete 18-8 at home on April 2 and downed the Lions 18-7 in an April 3 road victory.
The Braves (2-0 in league and 3-3 overall) backed La Conner starting pitcher Della Damien with a 15-hit attack in their 10-run home triumph.
Kellie Cayou-Lockrem paced the winners with three triples, a single, and three RBIs. Teammate Aaliyah Gonzalez delivered two singles, a double, and a pair of RBIs.
Five other Braves joined the hit parade.
Kat Edwards contributed a double and a single and drove in two runs. Angie Pena also lined a double and a single and two RBIs.
Yami Ocampo Contreras laced two singles and drove in a run. Kimber Rojas added an RBI single.
Damien backed her work in the pitcher’s circle with a double.
It was a similar story when La Conner secured an 11-run decision over Concrete in the two teams’ April 3 rematch.
Damien limited the Lions to four hits while the Braves’ offense ripped 14 base hits and took advantage of eight Concrete fielding miscues.
Pena homered, doubled, singled and collected a pair of RBIs for the victors. Ocampo Contreras ripped a double, triple, and two singles and drove in three runs.
Cayou-Lockrem singled twice and Damien, Rojas, and Jozlynn LaPointe each singled once.
Gonzalez chipped in a two-run double and Edwards drove in three runs with a single to round out the Braves’ juggernaut.
The Braves, following a one-week hiatus during spring break, resume league action 4 p.m. April 14 at Coupeville.
The La Conner softball and baseball teams are each scheduled to host Coupeville on April 16 with both games set for 4 p.m.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
