Titans are 3-0 in Season Opener Series Against Skagit Valley
TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma Community College secured impressive victories over Skagit Valley across three games in the recent series, showcasing powerful offensive performances and strong pitching.
**Game 1:** Tacoma recorded a decisive 11-0 victory over Skagit Valley on Friday at home. The offense erupted for seven runs in the third inning, setting the tone for the shutout win.
The scoring began when Nate Jetton walked, followed by singles from Brayden Buck and Kaden Cretti to load the bases. Ty Iddon and Braden Jones each contributed sacrifice flies, driving in Jetton and Buck, respectively. Ethan Mar's RBI single brought in Cretti, and after Vaughn Lowe was hit by a pitch, Travis Usdrowski delivered a three-run homer, extending TCC's lead. Jetton later doubled to score Clayton Crooks, capping a seven-run inning. The score was 7-0 after three innings.
In the fourth inning, TCC added two more runs. Iddon was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a passed ball. Jones reached on an error, allowing Iddon to score. Mar singled, moving Jones to third, and Lowe's sacrifice fly brought Jones home, making it 9-0 through four innings.
The fifth inning saw TCC further extending their lead. Cretti walked and advanced on a failed pickoff attempt, eventually scoring on Jones's RBI double. A pinch-hit appearance by Nate Kimmel resulted in a walk, and he later scored on Jones's double, putting TCC ahead 11-0 after five innings.
TCC maintained its lead through the sixth and seventh innings, with effective pitching and defense keeping Skagit Valley scoreless. Final score: 11-0 in favor of TCC.
Jake Rafferty delivered a strong performance, pitching 5 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run. He faced 22 batters, giving up five hits and striking out one, maintaining a WHIP of 0.96. Juan Hernandez provided solid relief, pitching 1 1/3 innings without surrendering a hit while facing five batters. Both pitchers managed to keep Skagit Valley scoreless, with Rafferty picking off one runner and Hernandez issuing no walks.
**Tacoma Top Performers:**
Kaden Cretti
----------------------
- 2 runs
- 1 hit
- 1 stolen base
- 4 assists
Braden Jones
----------------------
- 3 RBIs
- 1 run
- 1 double
- 1 stolen base
Travis Usdrowski
----------------------
- 3 RBIs
- 1 home run
- 1 run
Jake Rafferty
----------------------
- 5 2/3 innings pitched
- 0 earned runs
- 1 strikeout
Go Titans!
---
**Game 2:** Tacoma secured a decisive 5-0 victory over Skagit Valley on Sunday. The pitching staff combined for a three-hit shutout, striking out five batters over nine innings.
In the second inning, Ethan Mar homered to give Tacoma an early lead. Vaughn Lowe walked and advanced to third on a series of failed pickoff attempts but was left stranded after Tacoma's next batters were retired. The score was 1-0 at the end of the second inning.
Tacoma extended its lead in the third inning when Ty Iddon doubled and scored on a single by Braden Jones. The inning ended with Tacoma leading 2-0.
The fifth inning saw Tacoma add two more runs. Clayton Crooks and Kaden Cretti both singled, and Iddon followed with another single to load the bases. Jones then delivered an RBI single, scoring Crooks. Mar hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Cretti to score, leaving Tacoma ahead 4-0.
In the seventh inning, Tacoma capitalized on a Skagit Valley error when Cretti reached first and later scored on a throw after a stolen base by Mar, resulting in an unearned run. Tacoma led 5-0 through seven innings.
Tacoma's pitching staff, led by Butch Kiblen and supported by Devin Tep and Atticus Manning, effectively shut down Skagit Valley's offense, allowing only two hits and no runs throughout the game.
Final score: Tacoma 5, Skagit Valley 0.
Butch Kiblen delivered a strong performance for Tacoma, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing just one hit with no earned runs. Kiblen struck out two batters and issued two walks, earning a WHIP of 0.58 and securing the win. Devin Tep provided solid relief, pitching 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and allowing one hit, maintaining a WHIP of 1.43. Manning closed the game with a scoreless inning, surrendering one hit and striking out one.
**Tacoma Top Performers:**
Ethan Mar
----------------------
- 1 home run
- 2 RBIs
- 1 stolen base
Braden Jones
----------------------
- 2 hits
- 2 RBIs
Butch Kiblen
----------------------
- 5 2/3 innings pitched
- 0 earned runs
- 2 strikeouts
Go Titans!
---
**Game 3:** Tacoma secured an 11-5 victory over Skagit Valley on Sunday at home. Tacoma tallied 10 hits and 11 runs, striking early with five runs in each of the first two innings.
Tacoma took control early, scoring five runs in the first inning. Kaden Cretti walked and advanced on multiple failed pickoff attempts before Ty Iddon singled, positioning Cretti at third. Cretti scored on a single by Braden Jones. Ethan Mar added an RBI single, and a throwing error allowed two more runs to score. Elijah McNair-Neal capped the inning with a two-RBI single, making it 5-1 Tacoma after the first inning.
In the second inning, Tacoma continued its offensive surge with another five-run inning. Cretti singled and stole second before scoring on Mar's RBI single. Austin Nelson walked, and Nate Kimmel drove in another run with a single. An error and a hit-by-pitch contributed to more scoring, bringing the lead to 10-2 Tacoma through two innings.
Tacoma added another run in the third inning when Vaughn Lowe's RBI single brought home Mar, extending the lead to 11-2.
Skagit Valley attempted a comeback in the sixth inning, scoring three runs. A series of walks and an error allowed three runs to cross the plate, but TCC's lead remained substantial at 11-5.
The game concluded with TCC securing an 11-5 victory over Skagit Valley.
Oscar Hyde delivered a strong performance on the mound, pitching 5 innings and allowing no earned runs. Hyde struck out six batters while conceding only two hits and two walks. Connor Speer, in relief, faced challenges, giving up three runs on two hits and three walks in just one inning. Brody Palmer closed the game effectively, pitching one scoreless inning without allowing any hits, walking none, and striking out one batter.
**Tacoma Top Performers:**
Ethan Mar
----------------------
- 2 hits
- 2 runs
- 2 RBIs
Oscar Hyde
----------------------
- 5 innings pitched
- 6 strikeouts
- 0 earned runs
Ty Iddon
----------------------
- 2 runs
- 2 stolen bases
Kaden Cretti
----------------------
- 2 runs
- 1 RBI
- 1 stolen base
Go Titans!