(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
Mark Morris saw its promising season come to an end with a 12-6 loss to Aberdeen in a Southwest 2A District loser-out baseball game Saturday at Bearcat Stadium in Chehalis.

The Monarchs finished the season 17-5 after winning their second straight Greater St. Helens 2A League championship. MM lost its district opener to Centralia and rebounded with a win over rival R.A. Long before falling to Aberdeen.

“It’s hard to reflect right now,” MM coach Brice Richards said. “But really that’s a couple of good years in a row. This group has really played hard together.”

The Bobcats (13-9) put the Monarchs behind the 8-ball early, jumping out to a 10-1 lead. MM scored five runs in the third to close the gap, but then went twelve consecutive batters without getting on base.

That changed late in the bottom of the seventh with Aberdeen ahead 12-6, but it was too late. Max Tilton smacked a two-out double for his first hit of the game, and Artis Golden followed with an infield hit to put runners on the corners. The game ended on Seth Pedersen’s groundout.

Ryan Littlefield was 2 for 4 with a three-run home run, Tanner Brill was 2 for 4 and Brock Myklebust was 2 for 3.

MM graduates five seniors, including three key pitchers. The Monarchs will have to find replacements for aces Pedersen and Zach Brill and starter Kalani LaFave. Leadoff hitter Casey Tilton and Rem Bakamus will graduate as well.

It may have been a coincidence, but it was certainly a happy one for Mark Morris. Not only did junior Ryan Littlefield return to the mound, but the Monarch offense awoke from its slumber.

Behind Littlefield's arm and MM's suddenly active bats, the Monarchs overcame a three-run to beat R.A. Long 7-3 in a Southwest 2A District elimination baseball game Wednesday at Wheeler Field.

The Monarchs (17-4) eliminated R.A. Long (6-13-1) and need two more wins Saturday at Bearcat Stadium in Chehalis to earn the district's third and final regional playoff berth.

MM's first chore is beating Aberdeen at 1:30 p.m. Read more at: The Daily News

Mark Morris has no choice but to forget and regroup, and do both fast.

A promising season with lofty goals was reduced by Centralia on Tuesday to a daunting, do-or-die proposition for the Monarchs, who must win three games over the next four days or be eliminated.

The Tigers stunned Mark Morris 5-1 in the opening round of the Southwest 2A District baseball tournament. Read more at: The Daily News

(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
Mark Morris tuned up for the playoffs and extinguished Woodland’s postseason hopes with a 7-1 victory in the Greater St. Helens 2A League baseball finale for both teams Friday at Mark Morris. Woodland’s promising young roster will compete in the Southwest 1A Trico Division next season, following reclassification. The Beavers finished 7-12 overall and 4-8 in league, almost doubling their win total from 2011. The Monarchs (16-3, 11-1 in league) enter the Southwest 2A District playoffs as the GSHL 2A No. 1 seed and will host the No. 4 team (Centralia) from the Evergreen 2A Conference at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Woodland’s loss Friday clinched the third and final district playoff berth for R.A. Long. MM’s Kalani LaFave started and scattered three hits over four innings to earn the win. He surrendered two hits in the first inning but coaxed an inning-ending double play, and Mark Morris scored five runs in the bottom of the first to take control of the game. Taylor Mosier was 2 for 3 for MM, and Zach Brill doubled.

(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
Mark Morris swept Washougal 16-0 in five innings and 10-0 in six innings to claim the Greater St. Helens 2A League baseball championship for the seventh time in eight years. The Monarchs (15-3, 10-1) scored 10 runs in the first inning of the opener. Casey Tilton was 2 for 2 with three runs, Ryan Littlefield was 1 for 1 with three RBI and Zach Brill was 2 for 3. Brill struck out 10 and held the Panthers to one hit in four innings, and Austin Wright recorded three strikeouts in the fifth. Seth Pedersen earned the win in Game 2, scattering three hits and fanning eight in four innings. Littlefield was 2 for 4 with three RBI and a home run, Max Tilton was 2 for 2 and Kalani LaFave was 2 for 3. Littlefield also saw his first pitching action since MM’s opener, returning from a lingering injury to whiff three in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

R.A. Long kept Mark Morris off the scoreboard and knocked them into the league loss column for the first time with a 1-0 upset in Civil War baseball Saturday at the Lumberyard. The Lumberjacks (5-10-1, 4-6 in league) scored its only run of the game with one out in the second when Tanner Ruffe plated Eric Rosellini with a groundout. Read more at: The Daily News

He's the Artis formerly known as A.J. After plating two key runs in Mark Morris' 3-0, rain-shortened win over R.A. Long in Civil War baseball Friday at the Lumberyard, Monarchs newcomer Artis Golden won't be going back to his old nickname. The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and officially reverted back to the last completed inning. Read more at: The Daily News

Mark Morris put first place in the Greater St. Helens 2A League baseball standings in a headlock — but kept its sights set higher. The Monarchs swept Hockinson 3-0 and 8-7 on Monday to remain perfect in league and extend their first-place lead to three games with five to go, but head coach Brice Richards refused to get carried away. Read more at: The Daily News

(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
Brock Myklebust had a single, double and two RBI as Mark Morris rolled to a 7-2 victory over Washougal in Greater St. Helens 2A League baseball Tuesday at Mark Morris. Riley Johnston pitched into the fifth inning, scattering two hits and striking out seven for the victory. Taylor Mosier added a pair of hits. MM (10-2, 5-0 league) hosts a doubleheader against Hockinson on Friday.

Mark Morris continued its quest for Greater St. Helens 2A League baseball dominance by beating Woodland 13-5 and 9-0 (six innings due to darkness) Friday in Woodland. Read more at The Daily News: http://tdn.com/sports/high-school/prep-roundup-grand-slam-helps-mm-sweep-woodland/article_d2b83ff2-85ed-11e1-b34a-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1s2j9iMUC

It's no surprise that R.A. Long would have preferred to continue its rain-shortened loss to Mark Morris on Tuesday at Mark Morris. The Lumberjacks had loaded the bases against MM starter Seth Pedersen with two outs in the sixth when the pitcher airmailed a fastball that almost went over the backstop, prompting the home plate umpire to call the game and give the Monarchs a 7-1 Civil War victory. Read more at: The Daily News

(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
Riley Johnston threw a 78-pitch complete game to lead Mark Morris to a 4-1 victory over Canyon at the 38th Annual Anaheim, Calif., Lion’s Club baseball tournament Wednesday at Canyon High School. Johnston scattered six hits and struck out three for the Monarchs (6-2).

“He was just dialed in on accuracy,” said MM coach Brice Richards. “The ball was never over the middle.”

The Monarchs took a 2-0 lead in the third when Casey Tilton hit a two-run single, and expanded the margin to 4-0 in the fifth on Ryan Littlefield’s two-run triple.

MM hosts R.A. Long April 10.

(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
A five-run fifth inning boosted Mark Morris to a 7-3 win over Fullerton at the 38th Annual Anaheim, Calif., Lion’s Club baseball tournament Tuesday at Fullerton High School. The Monarchs (5-2) trailed 2-0 with two outs in the top of the fifth before going on a scoring surge punctuated by a 3-run home run from Tanner Brill and an RBI double by Ryan Littlefield. Littlefield and Hiro Kusakabe each went 2 for 3, and Seth Pedersen and Zach Brill were each 2 for 4. Kalani LaFave got the victory on the mound, allowing six hits and three runs in five innings. Zach Brill no-hit Fullerton over the final two innings, striking out three.

(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
Seth Pedersen tossed a two-hit, 10-strikeout shutout to lead Mark Morris to a 6-0 victory over Western Christian on Monday at the 38th Annual Anaheim, Calif., Lion’s Club baseball tournament. At the plate, Zach Brill was 3 for 4 with a double, a triple and two RBIs for the Monarchs (4-2). Casey Tilton was 2 for 4 with a double, and Tanner Brill was 2 for 2 with four stolen bases.

On Saturday, MM was pounded by Valencia-Placentia 23-6, and dropped an 8-4 decision to Viewmont, Utah. “We were a little shell-shocked and didn’t play our best,” MM coach Brice Richards said of the Valencia-Placentia loss. “We were also lacking on defense.”

Tanner Brill slapped a pair of doubles, Casey Tilton had two hits including a double, and Zach Brill chipped in two hits.

MM’s matchup with Viewmont was called after six innings for rain. Viewmont plated five runs in the first two innings, while the Monarchs scored three runs in the third and a solo tally in the fourth.

Ryan Littlefield had two hits, Tanner Brill smacked a triple, and Casey Tilton added a hit.

After starting off the season with a 3-0 record, the Monarchs ran into a bit of a rough time by dropping its first two games of the Lions Baseball Tournament in Anaheim, California. Mark Morris lost its opener on Saturday to Valencia (Calif.) 17-6 as the team from the host state pounded out 17 total hits. The Monarchs were led by Casey Tilton and Tanner Brill, who collected two hits each. Mark Morris lost its second game of the tourney 8-4 to Viewmont (Utah) as the Monarchs scattered just six hits. Ryan Littlefield led the way at the plate, going 2-for-3. The tournament continues through Wednesday in Anaheim. 

The Mark Morris offense finally broke out Wednesday in a 11-1, six-inning nonleague victory over Hudson’s Bay at Mark Morris, and Monarchs pitcher Zach Brill almost hated it. Brill, who has been working back into form after sitting out a year following Tommy John surgery, was slated to pitch the sixth inning. But the Monarchs (3-0) decided to string together double-digit hits and almost run-ruled the Eagles in the fifth. Thanks to a double play and a popout, Brill got his day on the mound. Read more at: The Daily News

(From The Daily News "Prep Roundup")
Seth Pedersen pitched a shutout to lead Mark Morris to a 3-0 victory over Hockinson in Greater St. Helens 2A League baseball Monday at Clark College. Pedersen fanned five while surrendering five hits and three walks. Tanner Brill was 1 for 3 with an RBI, Brock Myklebust plated a run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly, and Doug Jason scored in the first. MM (2-0, 1-0 in league) also had several key defensive plays, including a 6-4-3 double play in the sixth to end the inning, and outfielder Casey Tilton bare-handed a single off the hop to throw out a runner at second.

Big arms and small ball made the difference for Mark Morris on Wednesday. Starter Ryan Littlefield struck out 12 in six innings, Zach Brill slammed the door with two strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh and MM executed three sacrifice bunts in a 2-1 victory over Tumwater in nonleague baseball. Read more at: The Daily News

Due to a constant supply of liquid sunshine, wholesale changes to both the Varsity and Junior Varsity schedules have occurred. The changes are as follows:

VAR-JV -- Tuesday, March 20 vs Kelso (@ MMHS 4:00 pm )
VAR-JV -- Wednesday, March 21 @ Tumwater (4:00 pm)
JV -- Thursday, March 22 vs Kalama (@ MMHS 4:00 pm)
VAR-JV -- Monday, March 26 vs Hockinson (@ MMHS 4:00 pm)
VAR-JV -- Wednesday, March 28 vs Hudson's Bay (@ MMHS 4:00 pm)
JV -- Monday, April 23 vs Morton Varsity (@ MMHS 4:00 pm, from 3/14/12)