RAYMOND — South Bend manufactured a pair of late runs to spoil Raymond’s bid for its first baseball victory in 59 years.

Scoring twice without benefit of a hit in the sixth inning, the Indians edged the Gulls, 2-1, in a non-league match-up of Willapa Harbor rivals Tuesday. Originally scheduled for South Bend, the contest was shifted to Raymond’s S.A. Anderson Field (with South Bend as the home team) due to superior field conditions.

This was Raymond’s first high school baseball game since 1959.

The battle of two fledgling teams (South Bend revived its baseball program last year) was dominated by pitching.

The Indians mustered only one hit — Arjay Pearson’s fourth-inning single that didn’t figure in the scoring — off three Seagull pitchers. Raymond collected three hits off a trio of Tribe hurlers.

For a brief moment, it looked like the third of those would decide the game.

Mason Crawford singled up the middle to lead off the Raymond half of the sixth and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw. Two outs later, he scored when Hayden Stephens grounded a single to left.

But Tyler Walker and pinch-hitter Tristan Cogdill worked Crawford for consecutive walks to open South Bend’s half of the sixth.

Pearson followed with a grounder that went between the second baseman’s legs, scoring Walker and sending pinch-runner Jeff Fetters to third. Fetters tallied what proved to be the winning run on Mayson Estle’s infield out.

Chase Flynn pitched a perfect seventh to nail down the victory.

South Bend starter Drew Rose and relievers Alek Samplawski and Flynn combined for 14 strikeouts, with Rose fanning eight of the 10 batters he faced. Tribe coach Jim Bleecker also cited his defense, particularly from catcher Michael Oropeza.

“I’m really happy with the defense,” Bleecker said. “The bats will come alive, once we see some live arms.”

Considering that several of his players were making their competitive baseball debuts, Raymond coach Luke Abbott might have been even more pleased.

“We have a lot of things to work on,” he noted. “But for a new team, I couldn’t be prouder of how they handled pressure situations.”

Raymond starting pitcher Jack Jordan, one of the few Gulls with summer baseball experience, worked his way out of several jams while striking out seven in 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Teammate Reese Garcia made a couple of diving catches in right field.

Both teams are scheduled to return to action Friday, with Raymond hosting Lake Quinault and South Bend traveling to Naselle.

Raymond 000 001 0 — 1 3 3

S. Bend 000 002 x — 2 1 2

Jordan, Collins (4), Crawford (6) and Hayden Stephens; Rose, Samplawski (4), Flynn (6) and Oropeza.

RBI: Raymond — Stephens. South Bend — Estle.

Winning pitcher — Flynn (walked none; struck out four). Losing pitcher — Crawford (walked three; struck out none).