The Shorewood Stormrays opened their state 3A tournament campaign with a convincing 9‑1 victory over Central Valley, a performance that highlighted both their depth and their poise under pressure.
A early deadlock at 1‑1 in the fifth inning gave way to a decisive rally as Shorewood’s batters displayed patience, drawing walks and forcing errors that turned the tide.
Coach Ben Andrews Sets the Tone
Coach Ben Andrews reminded his squad to stay competitive and not let the heightened stakes dictate their focus, a message that resonated throughout the dugout.
The supporting cast, including Cameron Falk, Nolan Chang, Kanata Barber, Lukas Wanke, Calan Sporn, DeSean Dunbar, Tyson Blake, Nixon Spear, Adam Campos, and Owen Bendele, added depth to the lineup, while Adam Jaramillo paced the offense with a game‑high three runs, and Max Rojas closed out the game with a dominant 3.1‑inning stretch that yielded two hits, a walk, five strikeouts and the win on his record.
Starter Aaron James recovered from an early walk and a hit‑by‑pitch to navigate the first inning unscathed, and the team’s energy remained high, with each dugout keeping the decibels up as the crowd felt the intensity.
Looking ahead, Shorewood’s next test will be a showdown with Decatur, a game that will determine whether the Stormrays can translate their early dominance into a deeper run toward the State tournament.