Federal Way Knights baseball teams win three titles

Behind stellar defense and sound pitching, the Federal Way Knight U-13 took second at the Peninsula Invitational/USSSA State Tournament at Lakebay on Sunday.

Behind stellar defense and sound pitching, the Federal Way Knight U-13 took second at the Peninsula Invitational/USSSA State Tournament at Lakebay on Sunday.

Woodinville outlasted the Knights, 1-0, in a ninth-inning tiebreaker for the title. Federal Way reached the final after sweeping the first four games of the three-day tournament by a combined score of 38-8.

The Knights, who are gearing up for their own tournament July 24-27, finished second in a Triple Crown Sports national qualifier at Everett earlier this season.

In the championship game at Lakebay, the Knights’ Daniel Lee, George Foley, Chris Shimmer and Jake Kolterman pulled off spectacular defensive plays. However, the Knights were limited to four hits and left 11 baserunners. The ’Canes had only three hits, but were able to push across the late winning run to end the drama.

Lefty Darrien Moran struck out five in three innings of effective middle relief. For the game, the Knights’ staff fanned nine batters.

The Knights reached the final by defeating Narrows Blue, 5-2, behind Zac Kolterman’s double and outfield assists from Moran and Kai Cerbana.

Earlier in the tournament, the Knights defeated Narrows White, 11-4, behind two hits apiece from Shimmer, Cerbana, Jake Kolterman and Dallin Havili.

Lee’s two-run home run and Brett Oyer’s bases-clearing triple fueled the Knights’ 12-0 rout of the Graham Express in five innings. Oyer’s two-run blast and Kai’s three RBIs triggered Federal Way’s 10-2 tournament-opening win over the Peninsula Masters.

The Knights, under manager John Sugg, also include Jackson Wood, Matt Bower, James Marshall and Derek Klaas.

The Federal Way club is preparing to host Summer Knights IV, a four-day tournament that has attracted 58 teams in six age divisions. The tournament will be sprinkled over 16 fields at nine locations, including the Federal Way National Little League Complex where the finals will be staged on July 27.

The tournament also will have a skills competition on July 26, beginning at 4 p.m. Players will compete in timed base running and around-the-horn events, as well as long-distance throwing and home-run hitting.

For tournament updates and information, visit www.federalwayknights.com.

Elsewhere:

Other Knights action:

• The 11-and-under Knights tuned up for its upcoming tournament by capturing the Eastside Huskies Classic in Bellevue recently. The Knights went 5-0 in the tourney, posting 45 runs while giving up just 12. The team hit .473 for the tournament.

The Knights defeated the Kent Iguanas, 10-1, in the championship. Garrett Westberg, Scott Sunitsch, Lawyer Braun and Markus Montelongo combined to hold Kent to the lone run. Markus Montelongo lead the team with a tournament batting average of .733 followed by Max Dalrymple at .538. Nine Knights pitchers held their opponents to just 12 runs in the entire tournament.

• The 10-and-under Knights won the July 4th Blast Baseball Tournament at Spanaway’s Sprinker Recreation Center last weekend.

The team includes Jordan O’Connor, Tanner Knapp, Mason DeLaCruz, Tyler Mick, Robbie Bernovich, Brycen Allen, James Fitch, JJ Asinas, Andrew Ellingson, Christopher Michaels and Kaden Jacobs. The team is coached by Ken Allen, Shaun Mick and Guy Bernovich.