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Scott Terrell

SEDRO-WOOLLEY — All Sedro-Woolley had to do to punch its ticket to the baseball playoffs was defeat Squalicum on Monday in a Northwest Conference game.

No such luck as the Storm blew out of town with a 1-0 victory.

The setback evens the Cubs’ overall record at 9-9. They are 5-7 in conference play.

Sedro-Woolley pitcher Nathan Regal did all he could, allowing one hit, one walk and hitting a batter. He had seven strikeouts.

“He pitched great,” said Sedro-Woolley coach Brad Conn. “It’s a shame what happened.”

What happened was the Cubs’ bats fell silent. Bobby Twedt Jr. doubled, while Klaye Kitchen and Brandon Holland each singled. That was it for Sedro-Woolley.

“We didn’t have any really good at-bats,” Conn admitted.

Then again, Squalicum certainly didn’t set the world on fire as Regal kept it to a lone hit by Sean Haggerty.

In the sixth inning, Regal hit the Storm’s leadoff hitter. The baserunner advanced to second on a bunt and a wild pitch gave him third base. Then a suicide squeeze play allowed him to cross home plate.

It wasn’t as if the Cubs didn’t have their chances.

“We had runners on in the first, third and fourth innings,” said Conn. “Then in the seventh (inning), we had the bases loaded and one out. We just didn’t have any clutch hitting. We played solid defense and got some great pitching.”

Sedro-Woolley can still qualify for the postseason with a win today over Mount Vernon or a Squalicum loss against Ferndale.

Cedarcrest Red Wolves 11
Burlington-Edison Tigers 4

BURLINGTON — For the majority of seven innings, the non-conference baseball game between the Red Wolves and Tigers was a deadlock.

Then the eighth inning rolled around and Cedarcrest blew the game open as it erupted for seven runs.

“It was a real good game until that inning,” said Burlington-Edison coach John Thurmond. “They put together a bunch of hits and we just couldn’t get an out.”

Ian Capron led the Tigers, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Sean Stransky was 2-for-3 with a single and a double.

The Tigers are 14-5 overall and will begin postseason play at 1 p.m. Saturday in Anacortes as the Northwest Conference’s No. 2 team.

Oak Harbor Wildcats 2
Marysville Pilchuck Tomahawks 1

OAK HARBOR — The Western Conference North Division game was originally scheduled to be played in Marysville. However, because of a wet field it was moved to Oak Harbor.

The Wildcats took advantage of the homefield as they eked out the win in the seventh inning.

Oak Harbor improved to 5-10 in conference and 7-12 overall. Marysville-Pilchuck is 10-5 in conference.

With the game knotted at one since the third inning, Oak Harbor’s Chris Reilly reached first on a fielder’s choice in the seventh.

Coach Jim Waller put on the hit-and-run and Reilly was off with the pitch.

Standing at the plate awaiting the pitch was Johnny Encinas, who crushed the offering for a double.

Already on his way, Reilly came around to score the winning run.

Bennett Richter went the distance for the Wildcats throwing a two-hitter, despite issuing eight walks and striking out one.

Mount Vernon Bulldogs 8
NV Pioneers 7

EVERSON — The Bulldogs overcame an early three-run deficit to win the Northwest Conference game.

Nooksack Valley led 7-4 through three innings, but Mount Vernon held the Pioneers scoreless over the final four innings.

Mount Vernon scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, improving to 9-3 in conference play.