Olympic League standings (as of May 5)
North Kitsap 10-2 14-4
Sequim 8-3 11-4
Port Angeles 7-3 9-7
Olympic 5-5 11-7
North Mason 4-6 7-9
Bremerton 3-7 5-7
Kingston 0-11 3-13
Sequim’s fastpitch squad picked a perfect time for a hot streak.
The Wolves came into this week with a six-game winning streak that includes wins over rival Port Angeles and North Kitsap, and have more than a fighting chance at securing the Olympic League’s No. 2 seed to districts.
Sequim (8-3 in Olympic League play, 11-4 overall) plays at Bremerton on May 9; a win earns the Wolves at least a tie with Port Angeles for the runner-up spot behind league champ North Kitsap.
Port Angeles (7-3, 9-7) has two more league games left — May 7 against North Mason and May 9 against Kingston.
Sequim Athletic Director Dave Ditlefsen said last week a coin toss or a tiebreaker game has been discussed with Port Angeles, but that no decision has been made.
“We discussed it, but agreed to wait until we know for sure,” Ditlefsen said.
Win streak grows
Senior Bobbi Sparks gave Sequim a lead with her bat and saved the game with her glove in the seventh inning of a 9-8 win at Olympic on April 29.
The Wolves jumped out to an early lead thanks to a Jayla Julmist two-run home run. Olympic came back with a run in the first and tied it in the third on a solo home run by Vanisa Ivie.
Sequim edged ahead 3-2 in the top of the fourth but the Trojans got a three-run home run from Molly Gates for a 6-3 lead.
The Wolves came back to tie the game in the fifth with a six-hit inning, but the Trojans pulled ahead again with two runs in the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, Latisha Robideau and LeeAnn Raney had singles, and with two outs Sparks hit the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for a 9-8 Sequim lead.
Olympic loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the frame.
“Raelyn Opdyke made a great catch on a pop foul for the second out,” Sequim coach Tim Lusk said. “Bobbi Sparks came up with a game saving play on a shot up the middle, coming up with the ball and stepping on second for the last out.”
Raney picked up the win in relief for Sequim, tossing the final three innings after Isabelle Dennis started.
Sadie Chipley led Olympic with three hits.
On May 1, Raney scattered five hits in an 8-3 upset of the league-leading North Kitsap Vikings on the mound, and did plenty of damage at the plate with three hits and four RBIs.
Sequim’s Lily Fili added three hits, while Sparks, Dennis and Kiana Robideau added two hits each.
In a non-league game on May 2 against Port Angeles’ Roughriders, Dennis went the distance on the mound as Sequim came away with a 9-4 win.
Julmist paced the Sequim offense with three hits while Raney, Sparks and Christy Grubb added two hits apiece.
Lucas Folden had three of Port Angeles’ 10 hits, but top defensive plays by Grubb, Fili and Vicki Lelle kept the Roughriders from putting together big innings, Lusk said.
Postseason possibilities
With either the Olympic League’s No. 2 or No. 3 seed to districts, the Wolves play at noon on Friday, May 17, in the first round of the double-elimination West Central District tournament, held at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.
Six of the 12 teams competing at districts advance to the state 2A tournament.
