By Jeff Smarr

Tate Budnick pitched a complete game shutout and the Warriors got a timely triple from Chance Justice as Edmonds-Woodway beat the Cascade Bruins 1-0 to clinch the Wesco South baseball title. Budnick scattered four hits and struck out six Bruins in the win.

The game was played under partly sunny skies, but also with a strong wind blowing in from the outfield. Not surprisingly, the game favored the pitchers. “I would much rather pitch with the wind behind me, than against ,” Budnick said. “My outfield did a great job of playing in and not letting anything get over their head.”

Austin Holmes led off the game for E-W and got to first by getting hit by a pitch. Third baseman Joey Reese followed with a walk. The Warrior rally stalled as Cascade starting pitcher KJ Brady retired the next three Warriors in order. In the Bruin half, Budnick mowed down all three Bruin batters, including striking out the first two swinging.

Budnick started the Warrior second with a walk, but that was quickly erased as the next batter popped up a bunt, doubling the runner off. Mark Campagnaro flew to center to end the inning. Cascade’s  Danny Townsend reached first on an error to start the Bruins second at bat, but Budnick got the next batter to ground into a force at second, then picked him off first for the second out.    Budnick recorded his 3rd strikeout of the night to end the inning.

Justice flew to right to start the fourth for the Warriors before Austin Holmes dragged a bunt down the first base line to reach first on a single.  He was left stranded on first as the next two Warriors failed to get a hit. In the Bruins half, things got interesting. Patrick Chung singled to left to open the inning, followed by a walk to Michael Mazza. Townsend attempted to bunt, but the Warriors’ Reese dove and caught the bunt on the fly.  Ryan Lucas followed with a fly to right field that was lost in the sun by the fielder, putting the Bruins in a bases-loaded, one-out situation.  The next batter hit a sinking liner to left that was scooped up on the fly by Mac McLaughlan. The Bruins’ opportunity ended with a flyout to right field. “My outfielders caught everything,” Budnick said.

In the top of the fifth, with one out, Justice lifted a line drive to right field past a diving Bruin defender. Seizing the opportunity, Justice raced all the way to third with a one-out triple. “I knew it would drop, and when I saw it get by him, I just started running. When (third base coach) Larry started waving me to keep going, I did and was able to get there.” The next batter, Holmes, was hit by a pitch and with runners on the corners, Reese hit a slow grounder to short , scoring Justice with the go-ahead  and eventual winning run.

Brady was able to get the final out on a grounder to first base.

Austin Pinorini began the Bruin half of the fifth with a single to right and was quickly sacrificed to second on a bunt by designated hitter Ky Dye. Budnick then struck out Brady and Chung to quickly end Cascade’s scoring attempt.

Budnick completed the game in the seventh by getting Ferguson to ground out, Pinorini to fly to center and the final out on a fly ball to right fielder Justice.  “This feels great,” Budnick said. “At the start of the season we were picked to finish fourth (place) and to get first, it just shows that hard work does pay off.”

Warrior coach Dan Somoza said, “ This is play-off-like baseball. We knew it would be a tight game. We were just looking for a lucky play, a lucky roll. Finally on Chance’s hit, we got it.”

Coming in to the game, the Warriors needed either a win today or tomorrow to clinch their second consecutive league title. Thanks to Budnick’s pitching, a couple of timely hits and great Warrior defense, E-W doesn’t have to worry about Tuesday’s game.  “It’s Senior Day tomorrow, “ said Somoza. “We can relax, celebrate the seniors and get a few guys in the game that don’t normally get that much time. It’s a good feeling.”

Heading into Tuesday’s game, the Warriors’ league record is 12-2. The final regular-season game, also against Cascade, starts at 4 p.m. at E-W. The playoffs begin Saturday at 2 p.m., also at home against either Arlington or Monroe. Both games can be heard on Warrior Radio.