Community Sports

Tides clinch league baseball title on Krilich’s walk-off home run

The Gig Harbor baseball team (21-1, 15-1 Puget Sound League) won the inaugural Puget Sound League championship on Monday, May 5, defeating Capital (13-7, 12-4) 7-5 on a walk-off home run by senior Cole Krilich.

Krilich did his best Freddie Freeman impersonation and sent his teammates into hysterics with his two-run blast on a two-strike pitch. The ball sailed over the left field fence to break a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning of the game at Lincoln High School.

The Gig Harbor baseball team celebrates following a game earlier this season.

Krilich’s heroics

Gig Harbor dominated the Puget Sound League all year, running away with the Narrows Division title and setting up a league championship game against the Nisqually Division champion Cougars.

But the Tides found themselves in danger of losing the league title when Capital took a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning.

Gig Harbor battled back with three in the bottom of the fifth inning, keyed by a 10-pitch walk by Hunter Payne and base hits by Jayce Corley, Greyson Riley, Daniel Porras and Ethan Mar. The tying run came across after senior second baseman Wesley Bonnici drew a bases-loaded walk.

The game remained tied into the bottom of the seventh, when Mar drew a leadoff walk. The brought Krilich — whose compact and powerful frame helped him become an all-conference linebacker on the Tides football team last fall — to the plate.

Cole Krilich of Gig Harbor during a game earlier this season. Photo courtesy of Jason Krilich

Krilich fell behind behind 0-2 before pulling a ball foul to stay alive. “I just had to have confidence that I was going to put some thing in play,” Krilich said.

He launched the next pitch for the walk-off home run.

“He threw a fastball right down the middle and it was one of the purest balls I’ve ever hit. I ran to first watching it go out and was immediately excited to meet my team at home plate and celebrate it with them,” Krilich said.

“I had a feeling Krilly was going to do something there. He is a special kid and a hell of a baseball player,” Tides  coach Ben Sleeter said. “Ethan had a great at-bat in front of him and then Cole followed it up. He was down 0-2 and had to shorten his swing. He is so strong that even when he shortens it up, he can still run it out of the yard. I was so happy he could have that moment, one he will remember the rest of his life.”

Gig Harbor rallied twice

The Tides were in that situation in part thanks to some earlier struggles.

Gig Harbor ace Quentin Bockhorn started the game, but fell behind 2-0 early on a throwing error and an RBI single by Capital’s Dallas Phipps.

The Tides scored two runs of their own in the fourth inning to tie the game. Cougar pitcher Lucas Redman had a no-hitter going until Hunter Payne’s sharp single to right field scored a run, his 14th RBI of the season. Mar, who reached base four times, later scored on a passed ball.

Tides pitcher Jake Cuda replaced Bockhorn, who allowed two runs (one earned) over three innings, striking out four Cougars and walking one.

Cuda throws hard, but Capital claimed a 5-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning on a couple of hits and two fielders’ choices. Gig Harbor rallied in the bottom half, setting up Krilich’s heroics.

Cuda got the win on the mound and seemed to get stronger as he went along. He allowed three earned runs, struck out five batters and did not allow a walk.

The Gig Harbor High School baseball team

District tournament next

Sleeter and the Tides are on a roll. The coach was thrilled to win his first conference title in as many tries but he remains focused on a bigger title.

“It is exciting to win the league title for sure,” he said. “The PSL has some very talented teams, so it’s a nice accomplishment and a testament to the commitment the boys have made to each other. But our focus from the first day has been on trying to win the last game of the year.”

They begin play in the Class 3A West Central District 3/4 playoffs at a time to be announced on May 13, likely as a high seed at Sehmel Field.