By CHERYL PRUETT

For The Beachcomber

The Vashon Pirate baseball team improved to a 5-0 record with a three-game sweep of the Bellevue Christian Vikings. The Pirates traveled to Marymoor Park in Redmond on Wednesday, March 29, beating Bellevue in six innings, 13-0. On Thursday, the Vikings returned to the Pirates’ home field, where Vashon won the contest 12-2 in five innings.

Senior Jeremy Pilgrim-Stoppel had an impressive game on the 29th. He pitched the full six inning shutout, allowing no runs on just three hits with five strikeouts. He was strong at the plate, pounding out a single and two doubles, and he scored three runs. The Pirates spread their offense out over five of the six innings, scoring two in the second, three in the third, two in the fourth and fifth and four in the sixth. Junior Bryce Beaty had three RBIs on the day.

On Thursday, March 31, the Pirates 10-runned the Vikings in the fifth inning, scoring 12 runs on 10 hits. Junior Ashton Dulfer led the offensive charge, going three for three at the plate, with one RBI. Seniors Chester Pruett, Clyde Pruett and Pilgrim-Stoppel each had two RBIs. Senior Sam Yates contributed two hits and an RBI as well.

Logan Hawkins worked the full game from the mound, piling up six strikeouts and allowing just two earned runs on three hits and one walk.

Head coach Steve Hall is pleased with the team’s early season performance.

“We did a nice job of staying focused and completing the sweep against a very young, talented squad. Pilgrim-Stoppel and Hawkins pitched well, and Jeremy had big hits in both games. Our pitching and defense have been great so far this year. We’ll see if we keep that going with a couple of games against Charles Wright this week,” he said.

The Pirates played Cedar Park Christian on Monday, April 4, with the results after press time. The squad takes on Charles Wright Academy at home today, April 6, at 4 p.m. at the high school ball field. On Friday, Vashon will travel to Charles Wright in Tacoma for a rematch at 4 p.m.

— Cheryl Pruett is the mother of two high school athletes.