No-Hitter and Big Bats Power Eatonville to 3-Game Streak

The Eatonville Cruiser baseball team has found their rhythm early in the season, turning a rain delayed start to the season into a three-game winning streak with a series of dominant and timely performances.

Eatonville opened with a 10-0 victory over Foss in its home opener, followed with a 17-0 rout highlighted by a no-hitter from Ryder Herbrand, and capped the week with an 11-4 win over Lakes on Friday.

Ryder Herbrand connects on a pitch during Eatonville’s matchup against Foss on Monday. The left-hander later delivered a standout performance against the Falcons, tossing a five-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts while allowing four walks. Photo: Heather Quirie

“I was proud of the guys for swinging the bats,” Eatonville head coach Doug Fillbach said. “We struggled to get our bats going against North Mason, but against Foss, we attacked the ball like we envisioned our team doing.”

In Monday’s home opener, the Cruisers set the tone early. Landen Davis drew a bases-loaded walk in the second inning to bring home the first run, and Eatonville added on in the third by capitalizing on defensive miscues and a hit batter.

“Unfortunately, to begin with, we were hitting the ball right at guys,” Fillbach said. “But if you do that enough, the ball ends up finding a way through, and we started scoring runs.”

Ben Smith made sure the early lead held. The right-hander tossed six shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine and walking two.

“Ben also had a great game, throwing lots of strikes and letting our defense work behind him,” Fillbach said. “Allowing only two hits and our defense behind him committing no errors.”

Eatonville’s aggressive approach on the base paths stood out, as the Cruisers piled up 11 stolen bases while playing error-free defense behind Smith.

If the opener set the tone, Wednesday’s game put the Cruisers on full display.

Eatonville erupted for 12 runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 17-0 win. Santiago Ruvalcaba and Coleson Simpson each delivered key extra-base hits in the inning, while Colton Herbrand capped the rally with a two-run double as the Cruisers built a commanding lead.

The offense continued to add on, but the story belonged to Ryder Herbrand on the mound.

The left-hander tossed five hitless innings, striking out seven and working around four walks to secure the no-hitter. Backed by another error-free defensive effort, Eatonville completed its second straight shutout in dominant fashion.

“Ryder pitched a great game and I was thrilled to see him go out and earn that no-hitter,” Fillbach said. “I think the best part was we set a goal to have less than five free bases and I really pushed him to meet that goal. He went out there determined not to give up free bases and the few times Foss got their bat on the ball, our defense backed Ryder up with no errors.”

The momentum carried into Friday’s matchup against Lakes, where the Cruisers showed they could win in a different way.

After falling behind early and battling through multiple ties, Eatonville broke the game open late for an 11-4 victory.

Lakes scored in the first inning, but Eatonville answered when Ruvalcaba grounded out to tie the game. The Cruisers briefly fell behind again before rallying in the third inning. Colton Herbrand delivered a two-run double to give Eatonville the lead, and Colston Bruun followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2.

Lakes battled back to tie the game at 4 in the fourth, but Eatonville responded immediately. Colton Herbrand came through again with a two-run single to break the tie, and an error extended the lead to 7-4.

Colton Herbrand was not finished.

He drove in four runs on the day, adding a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning to help put the game out of reach. He finished with a double, a single, and a key walk, leading a lineup that showed patience with eight total walks.

On the mound, Colton Herbrand also picked up the win, striking out seven over three innings. LJ Osborn provided a steady relief appearance with a scoreless inning, helping secure the victory.

Eatonville remained aggressive on the base paths, swiping 10 bases in the game. C. Herbrand, Smith, and Coleson Simpson each recorded multiple steals as the Cruisers continued to apply pressure.

“Our bats have really warmed up the last three games,” Fillbach said. “After North Mason, we had a talk about how we have to be aggressive and swing the bat and the boys took that to heart. We have been tearing it up at the plate and I'm excited to see how the work they've put in has paid off. That mindset shift was huge and I hope we continue it throughout the season.”

Through three games, Eatonville has showcased a balanced formula. Dominant pitching, timely hitting, aggressive base running, and clean defense have fueled a strong start and a three-game win streak.

The Cruisers will look to keep that momentum going when they travel to Clover Park on Tuesday and will follow that game by hosting Clover Park on Wednesday to finish out the week.