Olympic league standings (as of April 21)
Team Lg. Over.
Port Angeles 8-0 11-3
North Kitsap 8-1 12-4
North Mason 5-4 8-7
Sequim 4-5 8-7
Olympic 4-5 6-9
Bremerton 1-7 2-10
Kingston 0-8 1-12
Three outings, three tough pitchers, three losses.
The Wolves (4-5 in league, 8-7 overall) ran into a tough slate of games last week, dropping a trio of games — two by a single run — and slipping into a tie for fourth place in the Olympic League standings.
After Sequim dropped a 2-1 decision to North Kitsap ace Logan Chmielewski on April 15, Sequim’s Johnnie Young and North Mason’s Brenden Kimball battled in an old-fashioned pitching duel, with Kimball’s Bulldogs emerging with a 2-1 win in Belfair on April 17.
After the two 12th-graders tossed zeros on the scoreboard for a full six innings, Young helped his own cause with a run-scoring double in the top of the seventh, plating Hayden Eaton.
But Kimball and Ethan Collins each reached base in the bottom of the inning and Gabe Navarro drove in both with a single with one out for a key Olympic League win.
Young finished 2-for-4 while Eaton, Joey Oliver, Silas Thomas and Michael Young each had hits for Sequim.
Johnnie Young finished with two strikeouts, allowing five hits and a walk over six-and-a-third innings. Kimball spread out six hits and three walks over his seven innings, striking out seven Wolves.
On April 19, Port Angeles ace Brody Merritt held the Wolves at bay until the Rider offense broke through for a 7-1 PA win in Sequim.
Merritt went six innings, scattering three hits while striking out seven.
“Merritt … is a heck of a pitcher,” Sequim coach Dave Ditlefsen said. “The stats won’t show it but we put together good at-bats.”
“He had some good stuff,” Port Angeles coach Karl Myers said. “That was the best we’ve seen him all season. He was throwing strikes, pitching with confidence. It was good to see that before the playoffs.”
Ethan Flodstrom paced the PA offense after going 2-for-3 with two runs, a double and three RBIs. Bob Bradow went 3-for-4 with a double and drove in three runs.
Sequim starter Silas Thomas took the loss, but both coaches had high praise for the junior.
“I like the way Silas threw the ball today; he did a great job giving us a chance to keep us in the game,” Ditlefsen said.
“(Thomas) is a tough little pitcher,” Myers said. “His breaking ball is slower but it turns over decently and he throws it where he wants to it go.”
Ditlefsen said that despite the three-game slide he expects his team to bounce back.
“We knew this was going to be a tough week,” he said. “We’re still very much in the mix of things. If we take care of business, we should be OK.”
The Sequim coach noted that Olympic League pitching is quite strong, and that a week like the one the Wolves had could pay off in the postseason.
“What we talked about as a team is … if we can get to districts, we’re pretty battle-tested,” Ditlefsen said. “I like our chances.”
Young, Wolves KO Klahowya
Johnnie Young’s first home run gave Sequim the lead. His second made sure the Wolves would keep it.
The Sequim senior hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning and added a grand slam in the seventh as Sequim came away with a 13-6 win at Klahowya on April 22.
Young finished with seven RBIs while Michael Young and Joey Olive scored three runs apiece in the non-league win.
Klahowya built a 6-2 lead after five innings, getting to Sequim starter Michael Grubb for five runs (three earned). But Sequim erupted for five runs in the sixth and six runs in the seventh for the win.
Sequim picked up a 13-6, non-league win at Klahowya on April 22 on the strength of two Johnnie Young home runs. Young hit a two-run blast in the sixth inning to put Sequim ahead and added a grand slam in the seventh, finishing with 7 RBIs. Caleb Pozernick picked up the win in relief.
Looking ahead
The Wolves are are at Bremerton on April 24.
Sequim hosts Kingston on April 26, the Wolves’ final home game of the season, before playing at Olympic on April 29.
With a top-four finish in the league, Sequim would earn a berth in the West Central District 2A tournament set for May 4-11.
Sequim second baseman Michael Grubb makes a short throw to first baseman Brandon Barnett to retire a Port Angeles batter in the Wolves’ 7-1 loss on April 19. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim third baseman Johnnie Young keeps a Port Angeles baserunner from advancing in the fifth inning of the Wolves 7-1 loss to PA on April 29. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim’s Joey Oliver throws in relief of teammate Silas Thomas against Port Angeles on April 19. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
