By Oly Archibald
BAINBRIDGE — The 12th-ranked Port Angeles Roughrider baseball team has a culture that has changed. Under the direction of the competitive and fiery Skipper Zac Moore, there are no more moral victories! It’s all about winning and winning championships. Roughrider fans like that new attitude. Last night, the Riders took the #1ranked class 3A Bainbridge Spartans into the bottom of the 7th inning where the Spartans made some of their own luck. They got an infield hit, and despite a great diving stop by 1st baseman Ezra Townsend, the Spartans were able to score the walk off winning run for the dramatic 4-3 win.
Roughrider Pitcher Kohl Acker was sensational except for the 2nd inning, when a walk and 3 consecutive singles gave the Spartans a 3-0 lead. Other than that inning, Acker gave up just 2 more hits with 4 strike outs. The Roughriders scored 2 runs in the 3rd inning when Tanner Jacobson doubled off the left field wall and then scored on a single by Josiah Gooding. The Roughriders tied the game in the 6th inning when Elijah Flodstrom singled and stole 2nd base. Left fielder Jordan Shumway had a big clutch signal scoring Flodstrom to tie the game.
The Roughriders get the Spartans at Civic Field today with the first pitch at 4:15 pm.
Just a week ago, the Roughriders had 5th ranked class 3A Lake Washington hanging by a thread with the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 8th and the bases loaded with nobody out. The Roughriders could not score. This was another game where skipper Moore did not want warm and fuzzies shown by his team. Moore wants this team to learn to focus on not making errors and to make the big plays to win these type of ball games. This is a young Roughrider team and Roughrider fans can feel that the big wins from this team are coming soon and the district tournament is going to be as they say down south “A real barn burner”.
In other high school baseball, the 7-8 Sequim Wolves are at North Mason today.
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In girls tennis action the Roughriders had a double header with Bremerton and won both matches 6-1, 6-1. In singles play, Liberty Lauer won her matches 8-0, 8-1. Waverly Mead won her matches 8-3, 8-1. Bella Artis won 8-3, 8-3. In doubles action, Gwyneth Van Blair and Cindy Liang lost 2-8 ,2-8.,Sarah Hancock and Bridget Weed won 8-3, 8-4.
Kyla Jones and Summer Hirst-Lowe won 8-3, 8-0. Katie Sperr-Crane and Abby Robinson won 10-9 and Hakoda Wyall and Keely Peirce won 6-2.
The Roughriders host Sequim today at 4 pm.
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In golf, the Duke Streeter Invitational will take place at the Peninsula Golf Course. It will be a 2 person scramble with Port Angeles, Sequim, Bainbridge, North Mason and North Kitsap competing. Tee time is set for Noon.
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In soccer action tonight, the Roughriders are at Olympic and the Sequim Wolves who have won 3 in a row will host North Kitsap, both games kickoff off at 6:45 pm.
In fast pitch action the Sequim Wolves will be 2 touchdown favorites at Bremerton that game will start at 5:30 pm, and the 7th ranked 10-1 Roughriders will be at North Mason. The first pitch is at 4:15 pm.
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Congratulations to Peninsula Pirate basketball players Roosevelt Williams Jr and Malik Jackson they have been placed on the N.A.C.B. Coaches All American team.