Bonney Lake Advances in SPSL Tournament Behind Jennings’ Complete Game Gem

The Insider
18 minutes ago
3 min read

There was a different kind of energy around the Bonney Lake ballpark Tuesday afternoon, as postseason baseball returned and the Panthers fought to keep their season alive. Backed by a packed home crowd, Bonney Lake delivered a complete performance, taking down South Kitsap 4-1 in an SPSL 4A Tournament elimination game.

The Panthers, entering as the No. 8 seed, turned to one of their most dependable arms in senior Gavin Jennings, and he delivered in a big way. Jennings tossed a complete game, allowing just four hits and one earned run while striking out five, staying in control from the first pitch to the final out.

South Kitsap threatened early after reaching on an error in the first inning, but Jennings quickly erased the runner with a smooth pickoff move and worked out of the inning without damage. That moment helped set the tone for the afternoon, as the Panthers grabbed momentum and never gave it back.

Bonney Lake wasted little time getting on the board. In the bottom of the first, Trenton Fowler drove a single through the right side to score Ryan Cannady from third. Alex De La Cruz followed with a soft looping single over second base to bring home another run, and Ryan Orcutt added an RBI double to cap a three-run inning that gave the Panthers an early cushion.

The Panthers added another run in the second inning to extend the lead to 4-0, while Jennings continued to settle into rhythm on the mound. Mixing speeds effectively and leaning on a sharp curveball, he worked efficiently through the middle innings, keeping South Kitsap hitters off balance and limiting any real scoring threats.

The Wolves made a pitching change in the third inning and found some stability, slowing Bonney Lake’s offense for a stretch. Still, Jennings remained in control, working quickly and trusting his defense behind him to preserve the lead.

South Kitsap finally broke through in the sixth inning, pushing across a run to cut the deficit to 4-1. But any hope of a late rally was short-lived. Jennings locked back in and closed out the game strong, preventing the Wolves from building any further momentum.

Offensively, De La Cruz led the way with two hits and two RBI, while Orcutt added a key double and RBI. Brett Pederson also contributed with a pair of hits as the Panthers did just enough at the plate to support their ace.

When the final out was recorded in the seventh, the Bonney Lake crowd rose to its feet, recognizing both the moment and the performance. With the win, the Panthers keep their postseason run alive and now advance to face Puyallup in the next round of the SPSL 4A Tournament on Wednesday night.

Box Score

Batting

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR	3B	2B	SB
Wyatt Vincent	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Ryan Cannady	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0
Lucas Miller	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Trenton Fowler	3	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0
Alex De la Cruz	3	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	0
Ryan Orcutt	3	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	0
Jace Abe	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brett Pederson	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jaxon Watson	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Aidan Samson	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Pitching

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	W	SV
Gavin Jennings	7.0	4	1	1	2	5	1	0