Saints hit lotto by toppling powerhouse

It was only one win.

But this particular win, Saint Martin’s dramatic 5-3 comeback victory against Lewis-Clark State with a three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning Monday, was like pocketing the mega lotto.

Lewis-Clark State is the IBM of NAIA baseball, a perennial power playing for a national title seemingly every year. And Saint Martin’s is, well, the family owned corner store yet to play in a national tournament or even win a conference title.

But on this day, with Josh Grenier driving in four runs and Casey Mitchell pitching four shutout innings in relief, coach Ken Garland and his SMU team had the bragging rights.

The loss snapped Lewis-Clark State’s 16-game winning streak, dropping the Warriors to 17-2.

But Garland is quick to say that one win does not make a dynasty. It’s just one small step.

“No one win is going to change your program,” Garland said. “But it’s a good measuring stick for us.”

The Saints haven’t won many games against Lewis-Clark State since baseball returned to Saint Martin’s in the mid-1990s. But since Garland became head coach last year, the Saints are a respectable 2-3 against Lewis-Clark State, having lost earlier this season at Lewiston, Idaho, 2-1.

He’s got a special feeling about this team.

“What we need is consistency,” Garland said. “But I think this team can challenge for the conference title.”

There have been some Saintly highlights. Besides the win against Lewis-Clark State, which has won 16 national titles under coach Ed Cheff, Garland’s team pounded Seattle University, 21-7, a football-like thrashing.

“We got some breaks that game,” Garland said. “We’re more than capable of being that kind of team.”

In addition to the highlights, there have been some lowlights in the Saints 7-12 season. There was the five losses to start the season, including getting swept in three games against Pacific Lutheran. Then there was a three-game losing skid, capped by a 12-11 loss to Western Oregon.

Garland has seen plenty of reasons for optimism. Michael McIver, Cody Brooks and Grenier are all beginning to find their swing after a slow start.

Against Lewis-Clark State, Brooks, a former all-league infielder at North Thurston High School, tied the game on a double in the eighth inning. Grenier followed with a two-run double to put the Saints ahead, 5-3, and Kaleb Wilson pitched a scoreless ninth to seal SMU’s win.

“Cody’s gotten off to a slow start,” Garland said. “But he’s starting to show signs of being the hitter we thought he’d be.”

So is McIver, the 6-foot-10 pitcher-first baseman from Capital. McIver, who has hovered near a .400 batting average the past two seasons, raised his average this season to .250 after going 2-for-3 against the Warriors. Garland said he thinks McIver has worked a glitch out of his swing.

“Michael has been really good, pitching-wise,” the SMU coach said. “But he got off to a slow start offensively. He seems comfortable now.”

To help snap a player out of a hitting slump, Garland will have them watch video of their swing. He’ll also work on the basic mechanics of swinging. But he’s careful not to overhaul or overcoach.

“You try not to do too much so the batter is starting over from scratch,” Garland said. “You also don’t want them to overthink it.”

So the Saints, winners of five of their past eight, just try to keep it simple. See the ball. Hit the ball.

“Hopefully, we’ll gain some momentum from our win against LC going into conference play,” Garland said.

Saint Martin’s, which lost, 8-6, to Lewis-Clark State on Tuesday, will play doubleheaders against Central Washington at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

Speedy Saint

Saint Martin’s Josh DeVaughn set school records in the 100 meters (11.0 seconds) and 200 (22.3) to earn second- and third-place finishes in those events, respectively, at the Pacific Lutheran University Invitational.

DeVaughn also long jumped 21 feet, 21/2 inches to place second, just missing another school record.

High-flying Viking

Western Washington’s Ryan Brown cleared 16-11 to win the men’s pole vault at the NCAA Division II national indoor championship.

Brown, who has cleared 17-111/2 this season, beat Dan Novak of Minnesota State Mankato on fewer misses.

Sarah Brownell, a Western Washington junior from Yelm, ran a leg on the Wildcats’ 1,600-meter relay team that finished fourth in a school-record 3:48.6.

Gail Wood: 360-754-5443

gwood@theolympian.com

www.theolympian.com/sports/blog