Through fifteen games there are some constants that have emerged with respect to this year’s Shelton Highclimbers. They have solid starting pitching that stacks up against any team in Evergreen 2A. They can struggle mightily to generate a timely hit. They are apt to make a call or a play that can leave the seasoned baseball mind scratching one’s head while reaching for the Excedrin, and they have, more often than not, played solid defense. After Wednesday afternoon at Highclimber Field, one can add the grit and resolve to get up off the mat to this list of 2024 Highclimbers’ constants.

Notably, the extra inning, one run victory over Aberdeen preceded by a 1-4 start to the season, the three-run go ahead homerun by Austin Williams to notch a sweep of Aberdeen, and the gritty pitching performance of Rhoades and Ward in the second W.F. West game all speak to the ability of this club to bounce back. However, it was the “load the wagon cause we’re pulling” workhorse performances of seniors Brady Rhoades and Wyatt Wagner in the must win game Wednesday at Highclimber Field against the Rochester Warriors that riveted the gritty resolve factor into the book of 2024 Highclimbers’ constants.

After dropping a disheartening game one in the bottom of the 7th to the Warriors at Rochester Tuesday afternoon, senior Wyatt Wagner sent the first Rochester pitch over the right field fence at Highclimber Field Wednesday. The Wagner bomb served to stake the Swing the Axe Attack to a 1-0 lead and sent an authoritative pronouncement that any purported Highclimber fade from the playoff race was, in fact, premature.

Senior starting pitcher Brady Rhoades continued his welcome comeback to the bump by chucking four and a third innings, yielding no runs on one hit while striking out seven. In addition, Rhoades brought his Axe to the yard in the bottom of the fifth and dealt some Highclimber gritty resolve when he shed the frustration of a bases loaded pop out in the third, by launching a grand slam bomb just inside the left field foul pole pushing a 3-0 Highclimber lead to 7-0.

The eight hit Swing the Axe Attack was rounded out by senior Matt Carleton’s and junior Carl Turnbow’s two hits each, with Turnbow scoring four runs and Carleton getting an RBI in addition to crossing the dish once, only to turn and greet fellow senior Rhoades after the bomb to left landed. Freshman Daniel Crossan continued to hold the rope for the pitching staff by going the final two and two thirds as the Highclimbers gathered in a much needed 9-1 win.

The Swing the Axe Attack now sits at 5-5 in Evergreen 2A, and will travel to Tumwater Friday afternoon to face the 10-0 league leading Thunderbirds with a chance to knock off the fourth ranked team in the current state 2A RPI.           

Tickets can be purchased through Venmo (see link below) or from Booster Club at the concession stand of any remaining home game. Tickets can be picked up at concession stand of home games.

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.