Bonney Lake Baseball Drops Late Heartbreaker to Southridge in Kennewick

The Insider
6 days ago
2 min read

Alex De La Cruz - 2 for 5, 2 runs. Photo Credit: Team QUICK Sports Photography

Friday night in Kennewick, Bonney Lake found itself on the wrong side of a 10-9 final against Southridge, a game that felt within reach until the final inning flipped everything.

The Panthers entered the matchup at 0-1-1, coming off a 7-7 tie against Mt. Rainier earlier in the week, still searching for their first win of the young season. With Gavin Jennings getting the call on the mound, Bonney Lake looked poised to turn the corner.

Early on, the Suns jumped out in front, taking advantage of opportunities to build a 3-0 lead. But Bonney Lake didn’t fold. The Panthers battled back, stringing together quality at-bats to even things at 4-4 and reset the game heading into the middle innings.

From there, it was Bonney Lake that seized control.

The Panthers’ offense came alive late, pushing across runs in key moments to build a 9-5 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. It was a complete effort up and down the lineup, with several seniors leading the charge.

Senior center fielder Wyatt Vincent delivered one of the biggest performances of the night, going 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs out of the five spot. Fellow senior Lucas Miller was just as effective at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Senior Trenton Fowler added to the surge, going 2-for-4 and crossing the plate twice.

At the top of the order, junior Alex De La Cruz set the tone, collecting two hits and scoring twice, including a standout moment in the seventh inning when he raced home and slipped past the tag at the plate, a play that embodied the fight Bonney Lake showed all night.

Gavin Jennings - 4 IP, 3K, 0 ER. Photo Credit: Team QUICK Sports Photography

With a four-run cushion in hand, the Panthers needed just three outs to close it out. Instead, Southridge, aptly named the Suns, put together a late rally, capitalizing on key opportunities to push across five runs and walk it off in dramatic fashion.

Despite the result, there were clear positives to build on. The Panthers showed resilience after falling behind early, depth throughout the lineup, and the ability to produce in high-leverage moments.

Bonney Lake will look to regroup quickly as they return home for their first league matchup on Tuesday, hosting Bethel with first pitch set for 4 p.m.