The Northwood Timberwolves battled Corona Del Mar (CDM) for eight and half innings before the Sea Kings got the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning to win 2 to 1. The Timberwolves are now 5 and 6 in Pacific Coast League play and 15 and 7 on the season.

The second Sea King batter in the 1st inning, JT Schwartz, lifted a fly ball that cleared the short right field fence to give CDM a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 3rd inning, Timberwolf catcher Thomas Lee, smashed a double to the left center field fence that scored fleet-footed Jack Jones from first base to tie the score at 1. The teams remained tied until the bottom of the 9th inning. With one out, the Sea Kings’ Schwartz walked; starting pitcher, Chazz Martinez got a single, and Luc Stuka was intentionally walked to load the bases. Then, Kieran Sidebotham hit a chopper toward third that bounced too high to stop Schwartz from scoring the game-ending run.     

Thomas Lee Only Timberwolf to get Hits

Sea Kings’ pitchers, Martinez and reliever Jarret Thompson, yielded only four hits to Northwood batters, all four were by Lee. Lee collected two doubles and single off Martinez and a single off Thompson. 

For CDM, Martinez worked the first seven innings giving up one run on three hits, striking out 13, and walking two, while leaving five (5) Tomberwolf runners stranded, Thompson gave up one hit and walked two in his two innings.

For Northwood, starting pitcher, Ben Berkel went three innings giving up one run, six hits, struck out three (3), walked one, hit one batter, and stranded seven (7).  Reliever Arthur Liu worked from the 4th inning up to the last two Sea King batters in the 9th. He gave up five (5) hits, struck out two and walked one and was credited with the Sea Kings’ winning run.  Justin Bonnell intentionally walked a batter to load the bases before the chopper by Sidebotham.  

Northwood Fielding Solid

Smart fielding helped the T’Wolves to keep the game in check. The pitchers left 14 Sea Kings stranded on base. In the 3rd inning with the bases loaded, Jack Jones chased down a line drive into right center field to end the inning. In the 5th inning with the Sea King runners on third and first Lee and Shorter combined to pick off the runner on third base.

In the 6th inning, Northwood pulled off the first of two double plays - Littlejohn to Stuart to Berkel.  In the 8th inning, it was Berkel to Stuart back to Berkel.

The Timberwolves travel to Beckman Tuesday May 1, 2018 at 3:30 PM.