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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2016)
SPORTS 8A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 Mariners sitting atop AL West as optimism grows By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer Photos by Gary Henley/The Daily Astorian Astoria shortstop Olaf Englund fields a high chopper during Thursday’s win at Seaside. Fishermen win Clatsop Clash in ive innings The Daily Astorian SEASIDE — Astoria’s “Scandinavian Connection” shut down the Seaside Gulls Thursday, as Fridtjof Fremstad and Tyler Lyngstad gave up just three hits in an 11-1, ive-inning win for the Fishermen. With their 31st straight win over Seaside, Astoria improves to 8-6 in the Cowapa League baseball standings, one game ahead of Scappoose (7-7). Sea- side falls to 2-12. The Fishermen close out league play today at Banks, while the Gulls travel to Scappoose. Astoria scored eight runs in the irst inning of Thursday’s game, a nightmare inning for the Gulls. The Fishermen sent 14 bat- ters to the plate, and loaded the bases with no outs. Olaf Englund’s single to center scored the irst two runs, and Trey Hageman’s grounder brought in Carter Wallace for a 3-0 lead. SEATTLE — When new general manager Jerry Dipoto went about rebuilding the Seat- tle Mariners in the offseason, he bet heavily on the rebound. Dipoto believed the Mari- ners could be revamped without spending heavily in free agency through shrewd acquisitions of players who struggled in 2015 or had perhaps fallen out of favor with their former club. Through the irst six weeks of the season, that bet is pay- ing off. “The game is about a series of ive- , six-week pock- ets. Where we are on May 11 is we have 20 more wins that we won’t have to accrue later. They’re all important,” Dipoto said. “The season is long and what you’re doing is build- ing up equity because some- times in this league it’s feast or famine. Through the irst (34) games we feasted. We put ourselves in a good position. We’re not always going to go as good as we’re going now but there is no reason why we can’t play consistently as well as we have played.” After completing a three- game sweep of Tampa Bay, the Mariners are 21-13, their best start since 2003. They ind themselves in the rare posi- tion of being in irst place in the AL West into the middle of May and are starting to ener- gize a fan base that’s grown apathetic during the longest playoff drought of any team in baseball. Making the start even more impressive was a ive-game losing streak the opening week of the season that did its part to create the perception that these were going to be the same old Mariners. For now, the losing streak has been the exception and good starting pitching, timely hitting and a stellar bullpen the norm. Take away those shaky irst eight games and Seattle has the best record in the Amer- ican League since April 13. “Some adversity helps too because you see what people are made of,” catcher Chris Iannetta said. “We deinitely had some adversity with that. Anytime you lose ive in a row it’s not fun.” No player has deined Seat- tle’s rebound more than Rob- inson Cano. After scufling through the irst half of last sea- son, Cano has started 2016 on a tear. He leads baseball in RBIs with 33 and is second in home runs with 12. Last year, Cano didn’t record his 12th homer until Aug. 7. “As a player you go home, you prepare yourself for a good season and the best thing is when you start early,” Cano said. “You look at my start last year, it was a tough irst half. ... But you want to start from the irst game of the year. ... We’ve played a different game this year. Hopefully it continues.” While Cano’s been the offensive star, Seattle’s rotation has — as expected — been one of the top starting units in the American League thanks to the emergence of young right- hander Taijuan Walker. Felix Hernandez is still the ace of the staff — even with drops in his velocity — but Walker has shown signs of having a break- out season at age 23. Lady Fish top the Tigers The Daily Astorian Ryan Palek watches his base hit to deep right-center field in the second inning, a ground-rule double that scored a run. From there, the Fisher- men scored two runs on wild pitches, and three more on three Seaside errors. Ryan Palek’s ground-rule double in the second scored Ryker Helmersen, and Englund capped the scoring with a two- run double in the third. Englund led Astoria’s sev- en-hit attack with a single, dou- ble and four RBIs. On the mound, Fremstad started and pitched two innings before giving way to Lyngs- tad. The two combined for ive strikeouts and two walks. Freshman Duncan Thomp- son had two of Seaside’s three hits. The Astoria softball team took a break from league play Thursday, and scored an 8-5 win over Yamhill-Carlton at CMH Field. Taylor Mickle’s bas- es-loaded, bases-clearing double in the second inning helped the Lady Fishermen build an 8-1 lead through six innings, before the Tigers scored four in the seventh. Mickle inished 2-for-4, while Catilyn Hougham was 3-for-3 with a double. Astoria inishes the league season with a doubleheader at Banks today, and will play a nonleague game at Rain- ier Tuesday, before hosting a Regional Play-in game next Thursday. SCOREBOARD PREP SCHEDULE TODAY Baseball — Astoria at Banks, 5 p.m.; Seaside at Scappoose, 5 p.m.; Clatskanie at Warrenton (2), 3:30 p.m.; Knappa at Vernonia (2), 3 p.m. Softball — Astoria at Banks (2), 4:30 p.m.; Sea- side at Scappoose (2), 3:30 p.m.; Clatskanie at Warrenton (2), 3:30 p.m.; Knappa at Vernonia (2), 3 p.m. Track — Cowapa Championships, at St. Helens HS, 3:30 p.m.; District 1/3A, at Portland Christian HS, 11 a.m. SATURDAY Track — District 1/3A, at Portland Christian HS, 11 a.m. BASEBALL Astoria 11, Seaside 1 Astoria 812 00—11 7 1 Seaside 001 00—1 3 3 Fremstad, Lyngstad (3) and Helmersen, Gohl (3); Bassett, Walsh (1) and Landwehr. W: Fremstad. L: Bassett. RBI: Ast, Englund 4, Hageman, Palek. 2B: Ast, Palek, Englund. HBP: Ast, Englund. LOB: Astoria 5, Seaside 4. Seaside’s Brent Walsh, right, slides in under the tag of Astoria’s Tyler Lyngstad for the Gulls’ only run Thursday. Seahawks’ Lockette steps away after injury: ‘Life goes on’ By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer RENTON, Wash. — Ricardo Lockette arrived in the NFL with zero fanfare, just another undrafted free agent with a spe- ciic skill who was being given a chance. He stepped away from foot- ball Thursday, retiring from the Seattle Seahawks with a formal news conference in an audito- rium packed with staff, former teammates and coaches. The turnout spoke to the last- ing impact Lockette had in Seat- tle — a story that can’t be told through statistics — before retir- ing because of a severe neck injury suffered last season in a game against Dallas. “My teammates helped me to be who I was and we inspire each other and we became a family,” Lockette said. “So it’s not that I’m surprised that they’re here. I appreciate them being here, but that’s what fam- ily does. Family sticks up for each other in times of need. This is a bittersweet day and I’m glad I can enjoy it with my family.” Not yet 30, Lockette is leav- ing with three Super Bowl appearances under his belt, a Super Bowl ring, four career touchdown catches and the infamy of being the intended receiver on Russell Wilson’s pass that was intercepted by Malcolm Butler to end Seattle’s bid for a second straight title. Lockette is also leaving with titanium plates holding together his cervical spine. If not for the proper response from train- ers and medical personnel on the ield in Dallas last Novem- ber, Lockette could have died, a chilling story he retold when visiting irst responders in the Seattle area during the winter. Concerns about his future health were at the root of Lock- ette’s decision to leave. He arrived at Thursday’s event without the neck brace he wore continuously following the sur- gery to stabilize the ligaments and vertebras in his neck. He only has 50 percent rotation in his neck, and will have to avoid roller coasters and lifting heavy objects going forward to avoid potential risk to the repaired area. Asked if it was tough to retire, Lockette said: “No, because I love my family and I’d rather walk.” Despite entering the NFL with little football pedigree, Lockette found a home in Seat- tle because of his speed, his work ethic and the self-con- idence he could be a profes- sional football player. He jok- ingly referred to himself as “Channel 83” and said it was only available on pay-per-view, even if his opportunities as a wide receiver were limited and leeting. But once Lockette accepted that he could be a differ- ence-maker for Seattle on spe- cial teams — during a second stint with Seattle after spending a short time in San Francisco — he had to be watched. Lockette became a player teams had to scheme against because of his speed getting downield and his disrupting returns. “He was so talented and so raw early on. It just took him a while to get it going,” coach Pete Carroll said. “But once he was able to channel all this won- derful ability and wonderful spirit, he became a magniicent part of our team and a teammate and guy that we’ll always miss.” It was during one of those returns that Lockette’s career ended. He was running down- ield to cover a punt when he was hit by Dallas’ Jeff Heath. Lockette was knocked out and remained motionless for sev- eral minutes. He was eventu- ally strapped to a backboard and taken off the ield. Lockette underwent surgery the next day to stabilize his neck and was told the trainers and medics handled his injury “perfectly.” He was also told that if he had stood up, been pulled by a teammate or handled incorrectly by trainers he could have died. Built on Dedication Good People Are Where Great Care Begins CMH honors those caregivers who are celebrating an employment milestone this year, particularly those who have been with the hospital for 25 or more years. hank you, and congratulations to: Debbie Hahn, 40 years Joyce Shepard, 40 years Carol Langston, 30 years Jennifer Quigley, 30 years Susan Harrington, 25 years Cheryl MacLean, 25 years Daniel Marineau, 25 years People Centered, Quality Driven & Service Focused. 2111 Exchange St., Astoria, Oregon 503-325-4321 • www.columbiamemorial.org
