The Napavine baseball team had to hold off a late rally but had the offense to win Friday, beating Rainier 14-7.
The Tigers put out 11 hits and drew 11 free passes, scoring runs in every inning but the fourth. Ashton Demarest went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored, Austin Chapman was 2 for 4 with two RBIs behind him, and at the bottom of the order, Grady Wilson and Hudson Chambers combined to go 4 for 5 with two walks, a double, four RBIs, and two runs.
Napavine led 6-0 after three innings, and 8-2 after five, but Rainier made things interesting with a four-spot in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to two. The Tigers didn’t let the momentum last long, though, hammering out six in the bottom of the frame to pull away for good.
Dayton Gardner went 2 for 4 with a double in the No. 9 slot of the Rainier lineup, driving in three runs and scoring another. John Kenney and Gavin Owen both had two hits, and Conner Mounts had a double and a walk.
Cal Bullock earned the win for the Tigers, giving up five runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings. Hudson Chambers threw the rest of the way for Napavine. Rainier went through five pitchers itself, led by Gardner and Hunter Howell, who both got six outs.
Rainier and Napavine will face off again in Rainier on Saturday.
