Smith Fans 11 as Cruisers Win Fourth Straight

The Eatonville Cruisers continued their strong early-season run Tuesday, riding a dominant all-around performance from Ben Smith to a 12-0 victory over Clover Park.

Eatonville's Ben Smith delivers a pitch against Foss in a game from earlier in the season. Smith dominated Clover Park this past week at the plate and on the mound, pitching five shutout innings while striking out 11 and then going a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate to help the lead the Cruisers to their 4th straight win. Photo: Heather Quirie

The win pushes Eatonville’s streak to four straight games, as the Cruisers continue to build momentum behind a combination of power at the plate, aggressive base running, and shutdown pitching.

Smith led the way in every phase.

The right-hander was nearly untouchable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over five shutout innings while allowing just two hits and walking two. He set the tone early and never let Clover Park find any rhythm at the plate.

At the same time, Smith delivered a perfect day offensively. He went 4 for 4, collecting singles in the first, second, third, and fourth innings while driving in key runs to help break the game open.

Eatonville wasted little time taking control.

The Cruisers erupted in the top of the second inning, sending a steady stream of hitters to the plate in a seven-run outburst. Lj Osborn drew a bases-loaded walk to start the scoring, followed by an RBI single from Scout Horan. Smith added a two-run single, Ryder Herbrand brought in another run with a base hit, and a pair of defensive miscues allowed two more runs to cross the plate.

By the end of the inning, Eatonville had built a commanding lead.

The Cruisers continued to apply pressure in the third. Smith stayed hot with another RBI single, and Santiago Ruvalcaba followed with a two-run double to extend the advantage even further.

Eatonville finished with 11 hits and showed patience throughout the lineup, drawing six walks. Colston Bruun and Coleson Simpson each reached base twice via walks, helping keep innings alive and create scoring opportunities.

The Cruisers remained aggressive on the base paths, swiping six bases and consistently putting pressure on the defense.

Defensively, Eatonville was once again flawless. The Cruisers did not commit an error, continuing a trend that has been key during their winning streak. Ruvalcaba led the defensive effort with 11 chances in the field, anchoring a clean performance behind Smith’s dominant outing.

The victory continues a stretch of complete performances for Eatonville, which has now outscored its opponents by a wide margin during its four-game surge. After breaking out offensively in wins over Foss and Lakes last week, the Cruisers carried that same approach into Tuesday’s matchup.

Eatonville was scheduled to host Clover Park later in the week, but the game was rained out.

The Cruisers will look to keep their momentum rolling as they turn their attention to a two-game set against Fife. Eatonville will travel to face the Trojans on Monday, April 6, in a 7 p.m. game under the lights before returning home Tuesday for a 4 p.m. first pitch.