MARYSVILLE — Shake N’ Bake coach Jake Wetzel has had his eyes on the Marysville Parks and Recreation Kickball Championship trophy for the past two seasons. On Tuesday, July 26, he was finally able to get his hands on it.
Shake N’ Bake scored what proved to be the winning run in the first inning to defeat the Swagmatics, 1-0, in the championship game at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
“It felt really good for us to finally win it,” Wetzel said. “It got scary in that last inning, but we were able to hold them off.”
Wetzel reached base on a single and then scored two batters later from first base on Stephen Gillis’ single, giving Shake N’ Bake all it would need.
“We run the bases very well,” he said. “We can take advantage of other teams by stealing bases and we have become very good at that.”
The Swagmatics’ offense went dry for the first six innings, but it provided a little bit of drama in the final inning. Nicole Peterson led off the seventh inning with a single. Two batters later Jenny Freese reached base after her kick ricocheted off Shake N’ Bake pitcher Brittany Burt. Peterson went to third base to set up a potential game-tying run. However, she was thrown out at home plate two kickers later for the third out.
“We got some strategic kicks when we needed them,” Swagmatics coach Max Dragich said. “Shake N’ Bake made what could have been some costly mistakes at the end. But we just couldn’t cash in.”
The Swagmatics, last year’s champion, have been a thorn in Wetzel’s side for the past two seasons. The Swagmatics knocked Shake N’ Bake out of the playoffs in consecutive seasons and ended two undefeated campaigns. Last year’s playoff loss cost Shake N’ Bake a title and an undefeated season. This year the Swagmatics defeated Shake N’ Bake 5-2 in the regular season finale, snapping its six-game winning streak.
“We go out there to have fun,” Wetzel said. “There really isn’t a rivalry between us and the Swagmatics. They are great competition for us and we know that. They have been one of the best teams in the league, so it’s great to get the win.”
Shake N’ Bake defeated The Green Team 33-3 and the Swagmatics squeaked past Marysville Rotary 5-4 to set up the championship game.
