Federal Way keeps pace

By CASEY OLSON

Sports editor

The road to five straight South Puget Sound League South Division championships for the Federal Way baseball team looks like it will come down to Monday’s game against Curtis.

The schedule makers in the SPSL South couldn’t have picked a better regular season finale for the league’s two top teams. Curtis sits one game up on the Eagles (14-3) in the standings at 15-2 and handed Federal Way their first loss of the season back on April 8.

But it’s still up in the air whether Federal Way can even win the SPSL South title with a victory over Curtis Monday. If two teams tie and split their two regular season contests, a complicated formula is used to figure out the champ. The formula awards more points to higher finishers in the league standings and will depend on results from other games Monday.

“It favors teams that have lost to the worst teams in the league,” Federal Way coach Eric Fiedler said.

Monday’s rematch should give the Eagle offense another shot at Curtis ace Scott Deal. The junior is one of the hardest throwers in the league and threw a complete-game five-hitter and struck out 10 during the 5-2 Curtis win and held Federal Way scoreless until the seventh inning.

The first-place team will take on North champion Auburn next Saturday at Kent Memorial Field for the SPSL championship at 7:30 p.m. The second-place teams will play at 4 p.m.

The Eagles kept pace with an 11-1, five-inning win over the Rogers Rams Tuesday afternoon in windy conditions at Federal Way High School. Senior Kyle Henselman picked up the victory on the mound for Federal Way by throwing all five innings and allowing only three hits. Brandon Turrell led the Eagle offense by going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Second baseman Nick Harteau finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, Thomas Watts was 2-for-3 with two runs and Jon Flood was 3-for-3 with two runs and two stolen bases for Federal Way.

“The kids played well,” Fiedler said. “We had absolutely abysmal conditions out there. It was like there was a hurricane coming in from right field. It was like a blow dryer on the field. We were waiting for the wind to die down to throw a pitch. It made it interesting.”

Sports editor Casey Olson: 925-5565, sports@fedwaymirror.com

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