MOUNT VERNON — At the end of each game at the Babe Ruth State Tournament, one participant is given the Most Valuable Player award. There was very little suspense Wednesday after the contest between Sequim and Burlington.
Sean Connolly collected the trophy after throwing a four-hit shutout for Burlington during an 8-0 victory over Sequim in the first round at Sherman Anderson Field.
Connolly struck out six, walked one and didn’t face more than four batters in any inning. Sequim never got a runner past second base and never got its lead-off hitter on.
The Tigers also didn’t commit an error behind him.
“He threw a great game. He got ahead in the counts, and that was the key,” Tigers coach Maury Wright said. “They hit a couple balls hard, but we played great defense. They had to earn everything they got.”
Sequim struggled by comparison, committing five errors, walking five and hitting two batters with pitches.
Joel Trujillo, Walker Olis and Shawn Steiner each scored twice for Burlington, which needed just eight hits to score eight runs. Steiner hit a two-run double in the sixth, Collin Quilliam an RBI double in the third. Connolly had two singles, the only player on either squad with multiple hits.
After a slow start to the season, Burlington (19-9) has won 16 of its past 20 games including the District 1/2 championship.
“The kids have figured out how to win,” Wright said. “When the season started, they had to figure out what it meant to compete. They’ve got it figured out at the right time.”
The Tigers will look to keep rolling in the second day of pool play when they face Wenatchee Valley, a 6-4 winner over Port Angeles, at 2 p.m. today. The tournament continues through Sunday, with the winner earning a spot at regionals.
