BY OLY ARCHIBALD
POULSBO — Just when it looked like the Sequim Wolves baseball team might be out of the playoff picture, they stunned 10th-ranked North Kitsap with a dramatic 7-4 extra-inning win in Poulsbo.
After being blown out 14-0 at home by the Vikings on Tuesday, few gave the Wolves much of a chance in the rematch. But Sequim turned the tables Thursday night, showing the same grit that carried them to within one win of the state tournament last year after an upset of Fife in the district round.
Ethan Staples got the start and delivered a steady performance. At the plate, Staples, Duran Ward, Brayden White, and Devyn Dearinger each collected two hits. In the bottom of the eighth, White took the mound in relief and struck out the side to seal the upset.
The Wolves are now 5-7 in league play and 5-12 overall. They travel to Beaver today to face Forks, who comes in at 8-6. You can hear that game live on KONP Newsradio and online at myclallamcounty.com. Pre-game begins at 2:45, with the first pitch at 3:00. Sequim closes the regular season next Tuesday and Wednesday with a two-game series against Bremerton.
Meanwhile, the Port Angeles Roughriders continued their offensive tear, routing Bremerton 26-5 last night. The Riders have now outscored opponents 49-8 over their last three games.
Senior Hunter Stratford got the start and was dominant once again, pitching three innings, striking out two, and allowing just one hit while facing 10 batters.
At the plate, shortstop Alex Angevine had a monster game, scoring five runs with two singles, a double, a triple, and two walks. Senior third baseman Josiah Gooding “wore” four pitches, scoring four runs and earning the unofficial “mash unit” award. Junior Bryce Deleon chipped in with two singles, a walk, and two runs, while Ian Smithson delivered off the bench with two singles and two runs scored.
Senior catcher Luke Flodstrom had a double, two singles, a walk, and scored four times. Rylan Politika returned from injury as the DH, contributing a single, a walk, and a run. Tre Hanan, Kody Williams, Mason Grice, and Jordan Shumway also added to the hit parade and the scoring column in what was a total team effort.
Roughriders second baseman Bryce Deleon, seen here on the KONP Newsradio postgame show, turned in a complete performance against Bremerton.
Port Angeles wraps up the regular season next week with a two-game set against Kingston on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In other sports today:
- Port Angeles hosts Olympic in track and field at 3:30.
- In boys’ tennis, Sequim visits Port Angeles with matches starting at 4:15.
- In girls’ fastpitch softball, Sequim hosts Olympic, while North Kitsap visits Port Angeles — both games start at 4:15.
Wolves senior Mia Kirner, speaking on the KONP Newsradio postgame show after Sequim’s 20-10 win over Bainbridge, looks ahead to tonight’s matchup against seventh-ranked Olympic.