The dog days of summer have come early for the Sequim nine.
The Wolves (7-5 in Olympic League, 9-6 overall) saw their hopes for a league title take a hit after dropping three games last week, culminating in a 6-0 loss at Bremerton where they collected just three hits.
The Knights’ Taylor Saylor outdueled Sequim hurler Tanner Rhodefer as Bremerton dropped Sequim into a three-way tie for third place with North Mason and Olympic, as the trip trails North Kitsap (9-3) and Klahowya (8-5).
Brett Wright, Evan Hurn and James Grubb had Sequim’s hits.
Sequim was slated to take on rival Port Angeles on April 28. The Wolves are at Olympic on April 30 before closing the regular season with home dates against North Mason (May 2) and Bremerton (May 5).
The top four teams qualify for the postseason.
Eagles fly past Wolves
The host Klahowya Eagles had the last say in winning an 11-7 slugfest in Silverdale on April 23.
After Sequim tied the game at 7-7 in the top of the third inning, Klahowya tacked on two runs in the bottom of the inning and another two in the fifth.
Eight different Eagles notched RBIs in the league victory.
Dylan Lott and Nigel Christian paced the Sequim offense with two RBIs each and Ian Dennis was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Brett Wright had a hit, two steals and two runs scored.
Klahowya tagged Daniel Harker for his second loss of the season, knocking the right-hander for nine runs, seven hits and five walks in two-plus innings of work.
Zach Rigg and Christian worked the final five innings without giving up an earned run.
NK upends Sequim
North Kitsap starter Andrew Hecker tossed 6 1/3 innings of one-run baseball and Nash Gowin drove in two runs as the Vikings edged the Wolves in the Olympic League standings with a 4-1 win in Poulsbo on April 21.
Hecker held Sequim to five hits and struck out seven.
Sequim starter Nick Johnston took the loss, though just two of the four runs he gave up in five innings were earned; Sequim’s defense committed five errors.
Sequim’s Nigel Christian earned the lone Wolf RBI, driving in Dusty Bates with a sacrifice fly in the first inning.
The Wolves loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning, but Viking reliever Chase Bauer got Brett Wright to pop up to third base.
Tanner Rhodefer struck out all three Vikings in relief of Johnston.
