Blazer baseball off to winning ways

With new head coach Rick Skinner the Blazers baseball team looks to be turning things around.

Centralia split doubleheaders with Southwest Oregon March 24 and March 25 to finish preseason play with a 7-5 record. With the seven wins early in the season, the Blazers have tied their win total of the 2009 and 2008 seasons combined.

In the first game of the March 24 doubleheader, Centralia had a 6-4 lead going into the last inning but gave up four runs and could not get any in the bottom half of the inning losing 8-6.

The Blazers scored their six runs on eight hits but had five errors during the game. Jacob Conklin was charged with the loss.

Centralia stormed back in the second game scoring 11 runs on nine hits defeating SW Oregon 11-8. Ramesh Ramnarine picked up the win while Colton Westfall got the save.

On the second day, the Blazers fell in a close 4-3 first game battle.

Centralia scored their three runs on seven hits but committed two errors while SW Oregon again went errorless in the game. Jace Shelton was the losing pitcher.

Just like the previous day the Blazers bounced back in the second game of the day picking up a 6-2 win to end preseason play.

Centralia scored their six runs on seven hits behind W.F. West graduate Tyson Schmitt who picked up the win thowing seven shutout innings while striking out nine batters.

The Blazers have outscored their opponents 70-54 so far this season and look to keep the winning ways as they start league action April 3 as they host Green River (7-5).

Notes: If the Blazers do not win another game all season they will still finish with at least three more wins than any season since the 2006 campaign which saw the team go 10-31. The 2004 season was the last year the team had a winning record finishing 22-19 overall.