Kentwood baseball is two wins away from another 4A state championship trophy.
First Kentwood has to get through South Kitsap — which beat up on the Conquerors in the district tournament with a five-inning, 11-1 victory — in the semifinals.
In order to earn the trip to the baseball final four, Kentwood beat Bothell and Olympia May 18 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Though the Conks came away with the 4-3 win in the morning game against the Cougars, it was a battle to the end.
Both teams scored two runs in the fourth inning. Kentwood scored again in the bottom of the fifth to go up 3-2. In the sixth both the Conks and the Cougars scored a run apiece, but, that extra run in the fifth held up for Kentwood.
The Conks put up seven hits including three separate players hitting RBI doubles.
Spencer Greene went 2-2 at the plate against Bothell with a double and an RBI while Kramer Sims was 1-3 with an RBI. Kade Kryzsko was 1-2 with a double, a stolen base and an RBI while Tanner Wessling went 1-3 with a double and an RBI.
Kryzsko pitched a complete game against the Cougars, giving up three runs, six hits and one walk while striking out two.
Kentwood was hardly done battling after getting by Bothell.
In the afternoon game against Olympia, the contest went into an extra frame with Kentwood taking it on an offensive explosion in the bottom of the eighth to win 13-7.
The Conks scored in each of the first four innings while holding the Bears to one run. Heading into the top of the sixth, Kentwood had a 6-1 lead, but Olympia battled back and scored four in the sixth then tied it up in the top of the seventh.
The Bears then took the 7-6 lead in the top of the eight before the Conks let loose with seven runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Senior catcher Reese McGuire led Kentwood with his bat, going 3-for-4, with a pair of doubles, a home run and four RBIs.
Freshman pitcher Jordan Jones had a banner day at the plate, as well, going 2-for-5 with a double and driving in four runs.
Kramer Sims went 2-4 with an RBI and a stolen base, Kryzsko was 2-5 with an RBI, Wessling was 2-4 with a double, Connor Sims was 2-5 with a double and a pair of RBIs while Michael Ciancio finished 2-6 with a double and two runs scored.
Jones threw six and a third while Wessling picked up the win in relief for Kentwood.
Next up for Kentwood is South Kitsap at 4 p.m. Friday at GESA Stadium in Pasco.
On the other side of the bracket, Kentridge went to Richland to compete in the state tournament. The Chargers knocked off the Bombers 10-8 in the morning game May 18.
Kentridge then put down Cascade 6-1 to earn a spot in the semifinals against Skyview.
This is the second straight state appearance for Kentridge, which was eliminated in the first round a year ago. Prior to 2012, the Chargers had not made it to the state baseball tournament since 2003, and has one trophy to their name in school history — a third place finish in 1991.
If both Kentwood and Kentridge win in the semifinals, the 4A state baseball championship could be an all Kent School District affair.
