2007 News Tribune All-Area Baseball team
Andrew Young
- Peninsula - Catcher - Senior
The skinny: Young broke Peninsula’s school record for home runs with 12 this
season, eclipsing the mark of 11 that had been around for more than 40
years. He wasn’t just a pure power hitter, either, racking up a .443 average
with seven doubles, 22 runs and 37 RBI.
Shane Garrett
- Steilacoom - Infielder - Senior
The skinny: Part of the Sentinels’ 1-2 punch, Garrett’s hitting .496 with 11
doubles, five home runs and 37 RBI. Garrett has also scored 27 runs and
stolen 11 bases this season. But he isn’t limited to his plate prowess.
Garrett hasn’t committed a single error at first base this season.
Stephen Hagen
- Peninsula - Infielder - Senior
The skinny: There’s a reason Hagen’s headed to the national champion Oregon
State Beavers – he can play. Hagen hit .492 with nine doubles, nine home
runs and 32 RBI. The numbers are even more impressive considering teams
rarely gave him much to hit – he has been walked 17 times.
Riley
Tubbs
- Tahoma - INF/OF - Senior
The skinny: Tubbs’ versatility and athleticism have never been questioned.
The three-sport standout seemingly can do it all, particularly on the
baseball field. The Washington State-bound Tubbs is hitting .444 with four
home runs and 13 doubles. But more impressive is that Tubbs has driven in a
ridiculous 44 runs for the Bears.
David
Bentrott
- Tahoma - Infielder - Senior
The skinny: Labeled as too small, he’s been proving people wrong his whole
career and will do try to do the same next year for the University of
Washington. The diminutive Bentrott is hitting .462 with 30 hits, five home
runs and 28 RBI. As the Bears’ leadoff hitter, he’s done a solid job of
setting the table, scoring 35 runs and stealing 12 bases.
Garrett Patterson
- Kentridge - Infielder - Senior
The skinny: Patterson was one of the top defensive shortstops in the South
Sound, committing just four errors in 97 chances. He was also good at the
plate, hitting .516 with 32 hits, 24 RBI and 11 stolen bases. He was also
the Chargers’ closer, picking up three saves with a 1.76 ERA.
Julien Pollard
- Washington - Infielder - Senior
The skinny: Pollard didn’t let his team’s losing season affect his play on
the field. The UW recruit hit .597 in league play with a .737 slugging
percentage, including four doubles, three triples and five home runs.
Jay Skilton
- Stadium - Infielder - Junior
The skinny: A key part of Stadium’s resurgence and current state-tourney
run, the speedy Skilton hit .492 with three home runs and 21 RBI. A
three-year all-Narrows selection, Skilton is Stadium’s offensive catalyst in
the leadoff spot. He has scored 26 runs and stolen 11 bases so far.
Sean Meehan
- Centralia - Outfielder - Senior
The skinny: The best player in the Evergreen Conference, Meehan, who’s
headed to UW on a baseball scholarship, got all but one vote for league MVP
honors. He’s hitting .475 with 28 hits, including 10 home runs, four doubles
and 38 RBI. Besides leading the state-bound Tigers in hitting, he’s also 4-0
on the mound with 44 strikeouts in 29 innings.
Greg Ford
- Steilacoom - Outfielder - Senior
The skinny: The fleet-footed Ford was set to go to Eastern Washington on a
football scholarship. But a baseball offer might change his mind. There
should be plenty since Ford is hitting .536 for the state-bound Sentinels.
He’s racked up eight doubles, eight triples and two home runs in his 40
hits. More impressive, he’s scored 40 runs and driven in 30 more. He’s also
stolen 27 bases this season.
Kellen Kiilsgaard
- Auburn - Outfielder - Senior
The skinny: Sure, Kiilsgaards numbers are good. He’s hitting .447 with four
home runs, 18 RBI and 19 runs scored. But it’s the leadership, the attitude,
the charisma and other intangibles that he brings to the field that make him
one of the best players in Washington and a two-sport recruit to Stanford.
Sean Montplaisir
- Bonney Lake - Outfielder - Senior
The skinny: One of a talented trio of outfielders for the Panthers,
Montplaisir his hitting .414 with seven doubles, two triples and three home
runs, while scoring 22 runs and driving in 21 more. The University of Hawaii
recruit struck out just five times in 70 at-bats, while picking up 11 walks
and being hit by six pitches.
Jordan Johnson
- Kentwood - DH - Senior
The skinny: It’s not often a team’s catcher is also one of its best
pitchers, but that’s exactly what Johnson was for the Conquerors. He hit
.465 with six doubles, two home runs and 23 RBI, while scoring 14 runs. In
Kentwood’s 19 games, he struck out just twice. On the mound, Johnson posted
a 3-3 record with 20 strikeouts.
Greg Rasmussen
- Franklin Pierce - Utility - Senior
The skinny: A four-year starter for the Cardinals, Rasmussen did a little
bit of everything for the Cardinals this season. He hit .450 with three home
runs and 22 RBI, including a pair of game-winning hits, while playing first
base and outfield. On the mound, he was Franklin Pierce’s top pitcher with a
6-1 record and 1.96 ERA.
PITCHERS
Kirk
Wetmore
- Tahoma - Pitcher - Senior
The skinny: The best pitcher for perhaps the best team in Class 4A, he
posted a solid 7-1-1 record. His only loss came to Auburn early in the
season. The left-hander has a 1.30 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 42 innings.
Jake Shadle
- Gra.-Kapowsin - Pitcher - Junior
The skinny: Easily the best pitcher in the SPSL South this season, Shadle
dominated hitters, striking out 58 batters in 32 innings. He finished with a
5-0 regular-season record with a 1.30 earned run average and added a save in
helping G-K win the SPSL South. One of those wins was a no-hitter against
Curtis.
Ryan Frost
- Tumwater - Pitcher - Senior
The skinny: The best pitcher in the Evergreen Conference, Frost was the only
player besides Centralia’s Meehan to collect a conference MVP vote. He
racked up an 8-1 record with a 1.86 ERA. He also hit .481 on the season with
three home runs and 17 RBI.
Jeremy Osborn
- Eatonville - Pitcher - Senior
The skinny: Osborn was the top hitter and pitcher for the Cruisers this
season. On the mound, he was perhaps the top pitcher in the Nisqually
League, posting a solid 8-1 record with a 2.00 ERA. He helped himself by
hitting .420 with four home runs and driving in 21 runs.
David Olson
- Auburn - Pitcher - Junior
The skinny: Basically when Olson pitches, Auburn wins. He’s 8-0 on the
season with a 1.88 ERA, including 3-0 in the SPSL 3A games. Olson dominated
hitters at times, striking out 51 batters in 38 innings.
Kaylor Hasbargen
- Bonney Lake - Pitcher - Senior
The skinny: The 6-1 record is good, but considering one of those wins was a
complete game victory over Auburn, it becomes more impressive. Hasbargen
sports a minuscule 1.17 ERA, while striking out 60 batters in 42 innings.
Opponents are batting just .190 against him. There was no DHing for him,
either. Hasbargen hit .400 with 21 runs scored and 13 RBI.
Player of the year: Troy Scott, Auburn
Coach of the year: Chuck Peterson, Stadium
BEST OF THE REST
•
Kyle Buchanan
- Auburn - Catcher
• Kevin
Whitehead - Franklin Pierce - Catcher
• David Neil
- Graham-Kapowsin - Catcher
• Jace Sloan
- Puyallup - Infielder
• Ryan
Buckless - Gig Harbor - Infielder
• Scott
Cashman - Peninsula - Infielder
• Josh
Kalalau - Curtis - Infielder
• Garry
Kuykendall - Bonney Lake - Outfield
• Erich
Armstrong - Franklin Pierce - Outfield
•
Logan Bushnell
- Emerald Ridge - Outfield
• Matt
Johnson - Tumwater - Outfield
• Matt
Theissen - Kentridge - Outfield
•
Chad Boldt
- Curtis - Pitcher
• Matt Renner
- Auburn Riverside - Pitcher
•
Colton Brown
- Auburn - Pitcher
• Jake
Patterson - Eatonville - Pitcher
• Cubby
Bryant - Stadium - Pitcher
Ryan Divish, The News Tribune
Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483