The Stanwood boys baseball team has been peaking at just the right time in the season.
The Spartans are currently second in the Wesco 3A North after winning eight of their past nine games, including a victory over previously-unbeaten Shorewood. Stanwood’s next task is division leader Marysville Pilchuck, in a three-game series that starts today.
“I think they feel pretty good as a group right now,” said Stanwood head coach Colby Knudson said of the Spartans. “We got to see Shorewood, which is a good team with good pitching like Marysville. We feel like we’re going to come in and compete and see where the cards lie. See how we matchup.”
The Tomahawks swept Stanwood last season but the Spartans are hoping to have some success in this season’s series. The games are critical for Stanwood (9-3 league, 11-4 overall), which is three games behind Marysville Pilchuck (12-0, 13-1) in the standings.
“We feel better than we have in past years,” Knudson said. “They’re a good team. It’s going to be a battle. We’re going to hit the ball, they’re going to hit the ball. We’ll see how it goes.”
Marysville Pilchuck head coach Kurt Koshelnik said the Tomahawks are ready for the series with Stanwood, and excited that the last series of the regular season — Marysville Pilchuck plays games against Glacier Peak and Shorewood next week — will be key in winning the Wesco 3A North title.
“It’s exciting to have the last series really be meaningful,” Koshelnik said. “Our kids are excited. I’m sure Stanwood’s excited too. They’re looking to beat up on us. I think we’re ready for the challenge.”
The one team with a better winning streak than Stanwood is Marysville Pilchuck, which has won 13 straight games since an extra-inning, season-opening loss to Lake Stevens. The Tomahawks are the No. 4 team in the most recent WashingtonBaseballPoll.com poll released on Monday.
“I think we’ve been playing really good team baseball,” Koshelnik said. “We’ve pitched well and the times when we haven’t pitched well, we’ve hit OK.”
However, Marysville Pilchuck isn’t taking Stanwood lightly.
“Beating Shorewood is a nice feather in their cap,” Koshelnik said. “That kind of makes everybody go, ‘Woah.’ It’s been awhile since Shorewood’s been beat.”
The Tomahawks are also excited at the weather forecast for the week’s series, which is expected to be sunny with temperatures as high as 80 degrees.
Said Koshelnik: “We’ve got the sunshine and a good series.”
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