by MICHAEL DASHIELL
Sequim Gazette
Never count a good Wolf down or out.
After outslugging a pair of Olympic League foes to start the week, Sequim High’s baseball squad overcame wind, rain and a six-run deficit to rival Port Angeles on April 14 for a 12-10 victory.
The Wolves capped the week with a 14-10 nonleague win against Cascade Christian Saturday afternoon, overcoming an eight-run deficit in the process.
“Certainly we want our kids to have that feeling, that we can come back from any deficit,” Sequim coach Dave Ditlefsen said. “We preach having good at-bats, not wasting at-bats.”
The Wolves hardly did that last week, scoring 17, 16, 12 and 14 runs in consecutive games.
Junior knuckleballer Jake Hudson picked up three of Sequim’s four wins during the week, all in relief.
“One of the things I love about this team (is) we do have depth,” Ditlefsen said.
After giving up nine runs in the first three innings, Sequim rallied for five runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and another six runs in the sixth to shock the 1A visitors from Tacoma. Isaac Yamamoto and Nick Ramirez each went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, Tyler Forshaw was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two steals, and Ryan Hueter was 2-for-3 including a key triple to highlight the rally.
“The last thing I wanted was a nonleague game today; we’ve got kids that are tired (and) they’re sore; their arms need to rest,” Ditlefsen said. “The goal today was to get through this game and compete and come out without hurting our arms.”
After a shaky first three innings, starter Karsten Wake settled down and kept Sequim in the game, working five-and-a-third innings.
“Karsten, he really stepped up and did a great job (to) eat up some innings for us,” Ditlefsen said. “He’s a real tough, quiet kid, do anything you ask him to do. His curve, he didn’t throw for strike in the first two, three innings. Once he found that, he can be a pretty tough pitcher.”
Hudson gave up just one hit in one-and-two-thirds innings.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen (someone get) three wins in relief in a week,” Ditlefsen said. “That’s a role he’s very well suited for, a change-of-pace-type pitcher. His knuckleball, he gets guys to put it in play. It’s tough to get real good swings.”
Overriding the Riders
After one postponement and facing the prospect of yet another make-up game,
Sequim and Port Angeles’ teams weren’t about to let another day without baseball go by.
The teams’ pitchers combined for 29 walks, with Sequim coming back from an early 7-1 deficit for a 12-10 win on April 14.
Ditlefsen said he felt a bit lucky to come out of the game with a win.
“I’ll take lucky any time,” he said.
The Roughriders, playing on Sequim’s home field after Volunteer Field was deemed unplayable for two consecutive days, jumped all over Sequim starter Drew Rickerson to score seven second-inning runs.
Sequim battled back with three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and six runs in the sixth inning, taking advantage of the poor weather and shaky control from Rider pitchers Augie Konpaski, Brian Senf, Derek Crain and Daniel Pitts.
Sequim scored 12 runs on just seven hits. Yamamoto was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, Preston McFarlen knocked in two runs and Weston Royall reached base three times.
Hudson got the win with Kyler Johnston picking up the save.
“Both coaches were very happy just to get the game in,” Ditlefsen said. “They (the Roughriders) are backed up worse than we are. No one could complain about being out there on that particular day.”
Taking down the Trojans
They may be close in the standings, but Sequim looked like a class above the Olympic Trojans in a 16-6, five-inning affair on April 12 in Silverdale.
Johnston had three hits and four RBIs, Ray Montelius went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, McFarlen scored three times and Royall and Wake had two RBIs each in the blowout win. Sequim had 15 hits.
Sequim also took advantage of four Olympic errors, erupting for six runs in the first three innings and plating nine runs in the fifth.
Tyler Campbell went the distance, sparing arms in the Wolves’ pitching corps.
Dethroning the Knights
Sequim scored seven runs in the first inning and cruised to a 17-1 victory against the Bremerton Knights on April 11.
Rickerson had a double, a triple and seven RBIs, reaching base five times. Montelius had two hits while Wake scored four runs.
Hudson got the win on the mound, giving up just one hit and walking two in four innings of work. Starter Yamamoto worked only the first inning, pitching a scoreless frame on 16 pitches.
Games on the horizon
Sequim was slated to take on North Kitsap, the Olympic League co-leader, on April 18 — results of the game were too late for this section.
“It’s going to be a dogfight to the end,” Ditlefsen said. “(There are) six very good teams aiming for five playoff spots.”
The Wolves host Klahowya on April 20 and Olympic on April 22. Sequim is at Port Townsend on April 25, hosts Kingston on April 27 and plays at North Mason on April 29.
The Wolves close out the regular season May 2 against Port Angeles.
