Upcoming two-game series could decide conference title
MARYSVILLE — Something will have to give April 16.
Twenty-three games and not a loss between Marysville-Pilchuck and Lake Stevens will come to a head for a two-game series with conference title implications.
“It’s still a little bit early to say, but this could be for the title,” said M-P coach Kurt Koshelnik, speaking about the Wesco North crown.
The Tommies sit at 10-0 in conference play (12-0 overall) while the Vikings are at 7-0 (11-0 overall) with each being more than four games ahead of the rest of the pack with just three weeks remaining. If either team were able to pull off a sweep, it would all but guarantee a North title.
With nearly identical results, the two teams go about it in a different way. Lake Stevens is brimming with talent that will stay for at least another year, while the Tommies’ roster carries more than 10 seniors.
Also, the style of play is sure to be different.
“It will be kind of interesting to see how it plays out,” said Koshelnik. “I think they can pitch but I know they can swing.”
Through April 14, the Vikings had scored 110 runs in 11 games, with Lake Stevens scoring more than 10 runs in five of those victories. The lowest total the Vikings have been held to all season is six against Monroe.
The Tommies hope to do better than that, as they have a senior-loaded pitching staff that some consider to be seven-arms deep. It has held opponents to three or fewer runs on eight occasions this season, while scoring an average of 7.75 runs.
And while Marysville seems to be the more balanced team based on statistics, Koshelnik was cautious about basing a prediction on previous results.
“We’ll see how this comes out because we haven’t played anybody like them yet,” he said. “They have been running through people so far and we have been scraping by in some games, like beating Arlington by a run or two, or Monroe.
The first game of the series is set for 4 p.m., April 16 at Marysville-Pilchuck and the second is at Lake Stevens April 20.
