Newport star athlete Tripper Johnson was too much for the

Mount Si Wildcat varsity baseball team Monday night, handing the hometown

favorites a 13-2 shellacking.

Bryce Kaestner took to the mound to open the game, showing

promise in the first inning as he mowed down three batters with the help of

the Mount Si defense. Mount Si faced a similar fate, though at the hands

of Johnson, ending the first inning at 0-0.

The second inning didn’t start as well for Kaestner as the first

Newport batter he faced smacked a double to left field. A sacrifice bunt advanced

the runner to third with two outs. The next Knight batter walked and

subsequently stole second. Kaestner walked another to fill the bases then gave up

a standup double, scoring three runs. A groundout by Johnson finally

ended the side, with Newport on top, 3-0.

Mount Si couldn’t muster any offense in the bottom of the second,

so Newport maintained their lead.

Newport on the other hand, still had the bats ready. After an

initial groundout, Marc Dahm at second base fielded a grounder but had trouble

getting the throw off. With the runner safe at second, Dave Haizlip blasted a

shot over the left field fence for a nice home run and two more runs making it a

5-0 game.

Mount Si answered with two runs. Matt Murphy started the

offensive duties off with a dinger down the right field line. Mike Dahm then

launched a pop up to center, advancing the runner and landing him on first. Then

a missed ball by the Newport catcher allowed Murphy to score. Mike

Dahm then scored on a hit by brother Marc as the first baseman lifted his foot

on a routine play. But that would be all the scoring for the Wildcats who

have struggled offensively.

Kaestner would give up two more in the fourth and six more in the

fifth, including a home run by Newport’s Johnson. Dan Flood came on in

relief in the fifth but the hemorrhaging didn’t stop until two more runs were

scored. The final outcome: Newport 13, Mount Si 2.

“We can’t keep getting beat by 10 runs,” said coach Gary McGregor.

“It does us no good, playing five innings every other day. You’re not going

to get better playing five innings. There are a lot of little things that we need

to do right.”

“It’s midway through the year and we are still missing signs. We

had three plays on today where kids are wondering what is going on,”

he added.

The Wildcats take on Mercer Island on Thursday and Cedarcrest

at home next Monday.