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The Edmonds-Woodway Warriors, for the seventh time in the past 10 seasons, got to play a baseball game at the home of the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. And while the players and coaches all savored the opportunity to play ball at T-Mobile Park, the Warriors still made it a short afternoon with a mercy-rule victory over the Highline Pirates.
E-W rolled past the Pirates 10-0 in five innings to earn their fourth victory in school history at the Sodo ballpark.
Warrior pitchers Finn Crawford, William Alseth and Dre Simonsen combined for a five-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts of the 16 hitters they faced in the game. Crawford was credited with the victory after pitching the first two innings and striking out five.
“Our pitchers came out and competed,” said E-W Coach Dan Somoza, who also pointed to the team batting as a big contributor to the victory. “Our offense put up some runs,” he said. “It was a great team effort. It was fun to watch.”
The Warriors took advantage of six wild Highline pitches, four walks and four batters hit by a pitch in the contest. Three fielding errors by the Pirates also made scoring runs by E-W a bit easier.
E-W jumped all over Highline starting pitcher Josiah Barron in the first inning by scoring five earned runs. The biggest blows for the Warriors in the first were a two-run double by Trevelyan Podawiltz down the left field line, scoring Toshi Gilginas and Cruz Escandon, and an RBI double by Alseth to deep left center field, scoring Erik Alsdorf.
In contrast, Highline (0-12 in the 3A KingCo Crest Conference, 1-15 overall) could only produce three baserunners in the entire game, two from walks issued by Crawford and one batter hit-by-a-pitch via Alseth.
Despite the game only going five innings, the E-W coaches and players were thrilled to play the non-league contest inside T-Mobile Park.
“It’s the greatest ballfield in America,” Somoza said. “It’s so much fun and it never gets old. It’s one of those things — especially on a day like today when it was sunny, the roof is open and you’re playing where all the Mariner greats played. It’s just special. There’s nothing like it.”
The Meadowdale Mavericks also had the privilege of playing a game at T-Mobile Park this season on April 3, losing to Bainbridge 1-0.
Edmonds-Woodway (9-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League South Conference games, 14-4 overall) was invited to play in the ballpark — for the fifth straight season now — after the Warrior baseball program sold 1,200 tickets to upcoming Mariner games. In their seven appearances at the Seattle big-league ballpark, the E-W has gone 4-2-1 (the team played Hazen to a 3-3 tie in 2024 as the Mariners have strict rules concerning high school games played there, including a rule of no extra-inning contests).
“I have some seniors that have been here (for the T-Mobile game) for four years,” said Somoza. “And I told them before the game: take a look around, take a deep breath, enjoy it, soak it up. Because, to get this experience, you guys are so lucky. Be grateful for that.”
Although Saturday’s game was a shortened affair, all 20 players on the E-W varsity roster for the contest played. “Everyone got at least one at bat,” Somoza noted. “They allowed us to have 20 players. Everyone’s part of the team and everyone got in and got to enjoy the experience: warming up, taking pictures, to feel like a big leaguer for a day.”
“We want to keep coming back here as long as the Mariners will have us,” Somoza added.
Saturday’s victory was Edmonds-Woodway’s 11th in their past 12 games. The team is ranked in the top 10 in the WIAA 3A RPI state rankings with three contests remaining in their regular season schedule — victories in two of their final three will clinch another Wesco League South Conference season championship for the Warriors.
Even with all the team’s recent success on the diamond this season, Somoza isn’t content yet. “We can always do better,” he said.
“We’re good but I want us to be great. That’s our goal,” Somoza said.
The Warriors will travel to Lynnwood for a matchup against the Royals on Monday, April 27, before concluding their regular season with a two-game series against the Shorewood Stormrays, April 29 at Shorewood and May 1 at Edmonds-Woodway. The Stormrays sit one-half game behind conference-leading E-W in the 2A/3A Wesco League South Conference standings.
Prep Baseball: Highline vs. Edmonds-Woodway, Apr. 25 (at T-Mobile Park)
Highline 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 0 3
Edmonds-Woodway 5 0 4 1 x – 10 8 0
Winning pitcher: Finn Crawford (Edmonds-Woodway); 0 run, 0 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 base on balls
Losing pitcher: Josiah Barron (Highline); 5 runs, 5 ER, 5 hits, 3 strikeouts, 3 base on balls, 2 HBP
Records: Edmonds-Woodway 9-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League South Conference, 14-4 overall; Highline 0-12 in 3A KingCo Crest Conference, 1-15 overall
Edmonds-Woodway next game: versus Lynnwood; Monday, April 27; 6 p.m. at Lynnwood HIgh School
Highline next game: versus Lindbergh; Thursday, April 30; 7 p.m. at Lindbergh High School
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