In a high-stakes game where runs were at a premium and patience eventually rewarded, it was the Bulldogs emerging victorious when the Wolves finally blinked.

Ellensburg broke a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning with three runs courtesy of two walks, two hit batters and a single and knocked Sequim (14-9) out of the regional round of the state 2A tournament 3-0 on May 21 in Chehalis.

“I’m not disappointed in how we played at all,” Sequim coach Dave Ditlefsen said. “We played very well, went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the state (and) got shut down by a really good pitcher.”

Sequim starter James Grubb went six innings and, despite giving up 10 walks and four hits, worked out of nearly each jam he got into. That included based-loaded situations in the second and third innings, and two runners on in the first, fourth and sixth.

But in the seventh inning, Grubb put two runners on and the Bulldogs finally broke the tie after reliever Austin Hilliard hit Major Moffat with the bases loaded. Daniel Kjorsvik rapped a single to center to dive in two runs.

Ellensburg starter Xander Orejudos, who worked all seven innings, gave up a seventh inning single to Justin Porter but got the final three outs for the shutout.

Sequim’s major threat came in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Orejudos got a strikeout to cap the rally.

Orejudos finished with 10 strikeouts and gave up just five hits and a pair of walks.

Grubb struck out six.

Grubb had two base hits to pace the offense, with Porter, Gavin Velarde and James Thayer adding hits.

Ditlefsen told his players after the game to not hang their heads, particularly after earning back-to-back state berths and earning a co-West Central District title.

“This loss this loss does not define our season,” Ditlefsen said, noting his squad battled through a tough start to reel five consecutive wins to earn a high state tourney seed.

“Battling through adversity: we had some guys who didn’t have the year they were expecting,” Ditlefsen said. “We had guys who came in with a lot of expectations. Things don’t go always the way you want — baseball has its ups and downs — but they didn’t let it tear them down.”

All-league selections

Three Sequim players were selected for the All-Olympic League second team, including pitcher James Grubb, shortstop Gavin Velarde and utility player Justin Porter.

Grubb finished the season 4-3 with 54 strikeouts in 40-and-a-third innings, all team-highs. He held opponents to a .181 batting average and a 2.08 earned-run-average (per seven innings).

Velarde led the team with a .402 batting average, 33 hits, 28 runs scored and 22 stolen bases (in 25 attempts). He also led the team in on-base-percentage (.484) and was second in slugging (.463).

Porter was second on the team in batting (.333) and hits (20), third in steals (10) and extra base hits (five), and fourth in slugging (.450).

Kole Milyard of the league champion North Kitsap Vikings was selected MVP; North Kitsap had five players selected all-league first-teamers.

Port Angeles had seven players selected for the all-league team, including first-team pitchers Curan Bradley and Travis Paynter.

North Mason took home both Staff of the Year and Sportsmanship awards.