On what was a near perfect day for baseball at Highclimber Field Saturday afternoon, a victory in the second game of the 2024 season was left stranded on the base paths by the Highclimbers along with eleven Highclimber baserunners as the Olympic Trojans walked away with the 8-1 win. While the Highclimbers turned in an errorless performance on defense, they were unable to string together enough of their eight hits to generate more than a single run against a Trojan staff and defense that had an answer to thwart every apparent Highclimber uprising. The stranded Highclimbers combined with the crooked number of Trojans plated, four runs in the first and another four runs in the 6th, rendered victory not to be for the Swing the Axe Attack moving their season record to 1-1.
There were some bright spots for the Highclimbers however, as freshman Daniel Crossan collected his first Varsity hit and steadied the ship from the bump pitching three and two third’s innings of relief, recording six Ks and yielding only two earned runs. Senior third baseman Matt Carleton went 2-4 knocking in the lone Highclimber run in the bottom of the 7th after an Austin Williams double to right. In addition, Senior Brad Eveland held a defensive clinic in leftfield tracking down a fly ball up against the outfield fence in the first and another fly ball out, along the sideline fence in left in the 7th.
The Swing the Axe Attack will now turn their attention to the start of Evergreen 2A league play as they host two-time defending Washington 2A State Champions, the Tumwater Thunderbirds, at Highclimber Field Tuesday afternoon in a home and away 2-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 PM, and this looks to have the makings of another hard fought battle in what has been a classic early season series between these two clubs.
Something new this year to add interesting and entertaining content as you follow the 2024 version of the Swing the Axe Attack. We will be spotlighting each of the varsity's seven seniors in an audio segment each week of the season. Be sure to check in and get to know the Highclimber seniors and their thoughts on America's pastime to naptime and anything that falls between.
The Shelton Highclimbers Baseball Booster Club (SHBBC) is a 501c (3) organization whose sole mission is to support the Shelton High School Highclimber baseball program in its tireless effort to establish and maintain a tradition of excellence in player development, sportsmanship, and program competitiveness.