Cascade ball club mauls Meridian in nonleague game

Despite the cloudy skies and slight drizzle, Kodiak fans celebrated as the Cascade High School baseball team earned a 13-3 nonleague victory over Northwest Conference’s Meridian in their home opener on April 5.

The Kodiaks opened with a four-run lead in the first inning. T.J. Thompson led off with a single off a bunt. Conrad Hasse crushed the ball into centerfield to bring in the Kodiaks’ first run, followed by T.J. Thompson’s RBI-single. After Hasse stole home, Nate McMahon’s hit brought Cascade’s fourth run to home plate.

After Meridian scored two runs in the second inning, the Kodiaks answered with three runs in the third, including Ben Sunitsch’s two-RBI single.

Leading 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Cascade added six runs, with two from Cameron Ostrem’s single and one off Sunitsch’s base hit. Hasse once again drove the ball into centerfield to bring home Cascade’s final two runs, thus enforcing the 10-run mercy rule.

“At the beginning of the season, when we were in the gym, we focused on hitting and pitching,” Head Coach Brett Isadore said. “We hit well and we pitched well, that was the story. Our No. 1 guy (Hasse) did a great job.”

Hasse earned the pitching win after he threw a two-hitter and recorded three strikeouts during his five innings on the mound.

Isadore said the team put in a solid week of preparation leading up to the Meridian game.

“We gave them a couple of days off and had two good days of practice,” he added. “They hit the ball well and were focused. We did a lot of good things together ready for today.”

Cascade (2-3) overall continues their nonleague portion of their schedule on April 6 when they host 2B Central Washington’s Manson in a doubleheader. 

For more photos of Cascade's home opener, follow the link to the Image Gallery.