Edmonds-Woodway baseball enjoys Major League experience

SEATTLE — For Edmonds-Woodway baseball, Saturday’s matchup against Liberty (Renton) wasn’t just any other game.

Players typically don’t grab a handful of infield dirt and stick it in their back pocket coming off the field, or get to watch replays of their swing on a massive outfield Jumbotron. Coach Dan Somoza usually doesn’t want players on their phones, but on Saturday he encouraged his players to take pictures.

Nothing is typical when high schoolers get to play in a Major League ballpark, and the Warriors (10-6) got to enjoy that experience at T-Mobile Park in a 3-0 win against the Patriots (5-12) in the High School Baseball Classic. In a fast-moving game with little offense, the Warriors managed to get three runs across in the sixth inning to make the difference.

This isn’t Funko Field?

I’m at T-Mobile Park this afternoon for the High School Baseball Classic where Edmonds-Woodway (9-6) takes on Liberty (5-11) in a non-league matchup.

Updates for @HeraldNetPreps pic.twitter.com/niyXllb2Ua

— Joe Pohoryles (@Joe_Poho) April 19, 2025

The result counts the same as any other non-league game, but the Warriors would not have been too upset if they lost. Nothing would damper the experience.

“It makes you feel like a kid again, in my opinion,” Somoza said. “I grew up watching (Ken Griffey Jr.), and these kids grew up watching different Mariners. You get on there, on the field where the big leaguers play, and it just brings a smile to your face. It’s what baseball’s all about, so it’s really cool.”

Every player on Edmonds-Woodway’s roster got into the game. Seven pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout, each receiving one inning of work. Senior infielder/pitcher Luke Boland (1-for-1, RBI, SB) reached base in all three at-bats, and struck out one batter in the sixth inning, while junior outfielder Toshi Gilginas made the most of his two at-bats, hitting two singles and stealing two bases.

It marked the fifth time Edmonds-Woodway played at T-Mobile, where they improved their record to 2-2-1. The first entered the annual Baseball Classic a few years ago after sitting on the waiting list for 10 years. Even for the upperclassmen who played here before, it never gets old.

“It’s my third time here, but it’s super exciting. … I take in my ABs,” Gilginas said, “Seeing the big screen, it’s really breathtaking seeing myself up there. It’s like something I couldn’t imagine.”

The Warriors had little trouble making contact and getting on base on the big stage, but they hit into double plays to end the third, fourth and fifth innings, back-to-back-to-back. Since T-Mobile Park was following a strict schedule with other high school games on the docket, the game would end after seven innings, regardless of the score. It looked like Edmonds-Woodway and Liberty were heading towards a 0-0 tie, but the Warriors finally broke through in the sixth.

Sophomore Kaden Thomas (1-for-2, run) led off the inning by legging out an infield single down the third base line, and walks to juniors Lukas Wanke (0-for-1, R) and Finn Crawford (0-for-2) loaded the bases. Thomas scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 1-0, and after junior Jesus Martinez (0-for-0, run) was intentionally walked to load the bases again, Wanke scored from third on another Liberty wild pitch.

Then Boland stepped up. After getting walked and hit by a pitch in his first two at-bats, Boland wanted a chance to swing. During his first time playing at T-Mobile as a sophomore, he remembered letting the pressure get to him, which prevented him from fully enjoying the experience. This time, Boland made sure to focus on the experience regardless of the outcome.

And he made a memorable moment anyway. On a 3-1 count, Boland got his bat under just enough to loft the next pitch into left field for a single that scored Martinez to make it 3-0.

“I’ve been working a whole bunch on my swing. I’ve kind of been in a slump,” Boland said. “Coach Dan (Somoza), he’s been helping me out so much, and so I was trying to work on staying a little bit taller. … I was just thinking, ‘Just smash one middle away.’ Found my pitch, just missed a little under it, but it works out. But that’s like kind of what we’re all about here: Just get the job done, get the run in. It’s the Warrior way.”

Boland could hear his family cheering as he ran to first base, making the moment even more special. He wasn’t the only one to share the experience with family: Somoza’s five-year-old nephew, Elliott, got to work as Edmonds-Woodway’s bat boy.

Before the fourth inning, Somoza walked to the side of the dugout and tossed a baseball into the seats towards his four-year-old son, Sawyer, who will likely take over bat boy duties in next year’s game. The underhand toss hit Sawyer square in the chest and dropped to the pavement. Sawyer, not missing a beat, leaned down to pick it up.

“I’ll throw another one later,” Somoza told him.

“I’ll keep this one,” Sawyer replied, holding up his souvenir.

Walking up the stairs, through the concourse and out of the home plate gates to the team bus, every member of the Warriors had something to keep from Saturday as well, one way or another.

“We’re playing a real game, but it’s also like real fun to play where the Mariners play,” Somoza said. “Everybody grows up watching the Mariners. We got every single person in the game, so it’s super exciting. We had seven different pitchers, players playing all over the place, so it was a great team effort. Ended up winning 3-0, pitchers pitched outstanding. We had some really good defense.

“It was a lot of fun.”