Softball
Emersyn Bakker’s senior season just gets better and better. For the future Edmonds Community College pitcher, her April 23 game against Anacortes could be the highpoint of her regular season (we’ll worry about state playoffs come May).
Bakker threw a dominant, 15 strikeout no-hitter to blank the Seahawks, allowing the Borderites to earn its 10th win of the season, bringing Blaine’s record to 10-3 (8-1 NWC).
The 6-0 no-hitter win caps off a great week for Blaine softball, which has now won its last five games after a tough, three-loss stretch last week against opponents it could very well face in district and state playoffs.
Bakker was the standout for the Borderites throughout its five game winning streak, striking out 13 batters in a 4-1 win against Coupeville on April 19, then striking out another 16 batters in another 4-1 win against Lynden Christian on April 20.
Bakker leads the Northwest Conference in earned run average (1.17), strikeouts (123), and is second in the conference in wins (9) and innings pitched (65.2).
Coming out of a marathon seven games in eight days, the Borderites emerged with a solid 4-3 record through arguably the toughest stretch of its regular season schedule.
With just seven regular season games remaining, the Borderites sit atop the 1A standings, and sit just below Sedro-Woolley in all of NWC softball.
Blaine will play Mount Vernon at Pipeline Field after press time on Wednesday, April 24 at 4 p.m., then travel to face Burlington-Edison on Friday, April 26.
Baseball
After a tough, five-game losing streak put the Borderites below a .500 overall record, Blaine bounced back with a pair of conference wins against Squalicum and Lakewood this past week.
In Blaine’s 9-5 win over Squalicum on April 19, pitcher Diego Gutierrez earned the win, striking out three batters and giving up four earned runs. The Borderite hitters were extremely disciplined at the plate, collecting 11 hits and 10 walks throughout the game. Mason Akre, Deon Bowman, Evan Yates, and Matt Garza each recorded two hits.
Blaine ace pitcher Kieran Markusen showed why he’s the Borderites’ best pitcher on April 23 against Lakewood, throwing a stellar shutout performance, striking out ten batters, walking just two, and allowing only two hits through six innings.
As of April 21, Markusen is fifth in the conference in earned run average (2.05), fourth in wins (4 – now 5), and second in strikeouts (45 – now 55).
Markusen also drove in a run with a fielder’s choice groundout. Evan Yates was the first batter to show some life in the Borderite lineup when the lefty drilled a pitch into the right-center field gap for a triple. He scored easily on the next at bat when first baseman Alejandro Moser-Hernandez finally broke the 0-0 shutout in the fourth inning with a double.
The Borderites now sit at 9-8 (5-8 NWC) late in the season, and hope to finish off its final three games of the season on a winning streak before district playoffs begin.
Blaine’s next game is on the road against Oak Harbor on Thursday, April 25 at 4 p.m. The Borderites then host Senior Night against Bellingham at Pipeline Field on Friday, April 26 at 4:30 p.m.
Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com
Girls Tennis
The 2024 spring season hasn’t been kind to Blaine girls tennis, a team with tons of new, underclassmen athletes joining the varsity squad. But Blaine varsity tennis finally earned its first team win of the season, defeating Mount Vernon 4-3 on the road on April 23.
Sara Olinger-Stirrat defeated Farah Briseno in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1; Ana Tuski defeated Grace Dilworth in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1; and a pair of Blaine doubles teams won their matchups, with Sabrina Boczek and Tori Taengdaen winning in three sets, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4; and Carly Saunders and Bea Dickson winning in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.
The Borderites will hope this first win sparks a winning streak to end the season, with only five matches left before district playoffs begin in May.
The next Blaine tennis match will be against Ferndale at home on Thursday, April 25 at 4 p.m. Senior Night for girls tennis will be the final home game of the season, Monday, May 6 at 4 p.m. against Anacortes.
Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com
Boys Soccer
Blaine boys soccer suffered an agonizing, 1-0 defeat on the road against Lynden Christian on April 22, with multiple near-misses by the offense squandering what could’ve been a crucial road victory.
In the first half alone, the Borderites had shots ricochet off the Lyncs’ goal post, and multiple shots on goal peter out without any points to show for it. Lynden Christian goalkeeper Johann Veltkamp tallied four saves, but was bailed out by the goalpost at least once.
The Blaine defense stayed strong against a Lynden Christian team that liked to press high and put pressure on the back line, with the only goal coming from an errant foul that led to a free kick goal from senior Jude Decker.
The loss puts the Borderites at 7-4-2 overall with a 2-3-1 NWC record, dropping to third place among NWC 1A teams. Conference standings are only determined by conference games and points earned, and the Borderites haven’t been able to beat the tough Whatcom County competition, with only seven points to show for.
With just two games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Borderites will have its Senior Night against Nooksack Valley after press time on Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. The Borderites defeated Nooksack Valley 3-0 in its earlier matchup on April 8.
The Borderites have one final regular season game before district playoffs begin, against Mt. Baker on Monday, April 29, last time these two teams faced this season, Blaine won handily, 6-0 on April 10.
Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com
Track and Field
Blaine track and field is preparing for its one and only home meet of the season, which will be held Thursday, April 25 starting at 4 p.m.
Borderite track and field has had an up and down season, with great success from its throwers (discus, javelin) and sprinters (100-400 meter races, hurdles).
The Borderites will host Lakewood and Squalicum at Borderite Stadium on Thursday before four more away meets end the regular season.
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