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Ochoa's grand slam, Franklin's double lift
Friday Harbor to DH sweep at Orcas Island
By Matt Pranger
Friday Harbor's Richie Ochoa whacked a grand slam in a 12-2 victory over Orcas Island Saturday, April 14. Cole Franklin ripped a game-winning double as the Wolverines rallied for a 5-4 win in the second game of a doubleheader at Buck Park.
"It was just fun," Ochoa said of his shot that cleared the fence 350 feet in right-center.
When the sophomore connected he suspected the ball wouldn't bounce off the fence like several other long hits. "It just felt different than the other ones," Ochoa said of his first high school grand slam. "I was just really happy when it cleared the wall."
"It was a great way to start the game off and the second game was a great team win. Everyone was doing their part to come back," said Ochoa who finished with three extra-base hits on the day and earned the win in the second game.
Ryan Aylward singled twice and stole two bases for the Wolverines in the first game. Forrest Crawford singled and doubled. Jordan Nash and Michael Sandifer each smacked a pair of base hits and Cole Franklin had a double.
The Vikings scored a run in the first and fifth innings. in the bottom of the first inning. Andy Nigretto, Tyler Nigretto and Josh Mayson ripped doubles for the Vikings and Chris Troutman cracked a triple.
Orcas built a 4-0 lead in the second game. Mayson singled and scored on an error in the first inning.
The Vikings added three runs in the second inning. Darren Stevens walked. After a second out, Andy Nigretto reached on an error. Erik Hansen reached base on balls. Troutman worked a run-scoring walk before Mayson singled in a two runs.
Ochoa and Friday Harbor's defense held the Vikings scoreless for the next six innings.
The Wolverines rallied for 3 runs in the sixth inning. Ochoa led off with a double and scored on Seiji Boku's single. Albert Strasser reached on an error and Jordan Nash singled. Michael Sandifer singled home Boku and Rothlisberger's base hit drove in Strasser.
Ochoa pounded another double in the seventh and Boku, a Japanese exchange student, sent him home again by slapping a game-tying single.
Sandifer led off the eighth with a walk and stole second before the next two Wolverines popped out. Franklin blistered the ball down the left line, sending Sandifer home on the game-winning double.
"That was big to come back against a pitcher of that quality," Friday Harbor coach Rich Warin said of the Vikings' Mark Wulff.
"Seiji had a couple of big hits," Warin said of the designated hitter.
Ochoa cracked a single and two doubles. Rothlisberger and Boku each hit two singles.
Mayson led the Viking offense with two base hits. He drove in two runs and scored one. Hansen, Troutman and Raymond Harvey hit a single apiece.
Friday Harbor improves to 8-1 in the Northwest 1A/2B League and 10-2 overall. The Wolverines can go up two games by winning at second-place Concrete Monday, April 16.
Orcas is 5-4 in conference.
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