On a sunny Sequim day last week, five Sequim teens hugged their parents and thanked their coaches, played a ballgame and closed a chapter in their softball careers.
Next week, they’ll start another chapter.
Sequim’s Wolves (9-3 in league, 13-5 overall) wrapped up the league’s No. 2 seed to districts last week with a 6-4 win against Kingston on May 14. They’ll open the West Central District Tournament with a May 22, 10 a.m. game against the South Puget Sound’s No. 4-seeded team, either River Ridge or Steilacoom, at Tacoma’s Sprinker Fields. The winner takes on the winner of the KingCo No. 1 seed/Seamount No. 4 seed game later that day.
Six squads from the 16-team, double-elimination district tournament advance to the class 2A state tournament, set for May 29-30 in Selah.
Sequim coach Mike McFarlen said Sequim has a shot to make some noise in the postseason.
“It all depends on our bats, if we hit like we’re capable of,” he said.
Against Kingston, Sequim flashed plenty of leather in the victory, their second close win against the Buccaneers this season.
The Wolves went up quickly, with MaryLu Cluft crushing a two-run double off Buc starter Breena Belgarde to cap a three-run first inning.
Kingston scratched a run off SHS starter Allysen Montelius in the second but a running catch in center by Halie Wilson kept Kingston from a bigger inning.
Montelius had an RBI single in the second and Kaylee Gumm hit a towering home run in the third to give Sequim a 5-1 advantage.
SHS right fielder Tia Bourm snagged a line drive in the fourth to take a way a hit from Kingston’s Nicole Day.
The Buccaneers chipped away off Sequim reliever Olivia Kirsch with one run in the fifth inning but also hit into a double play that quelled the threat and ended the inning.
In the sixth, Kingston’s Belgarde led off with a dribbler past McKenzie Bentz, Sequim’s second reliever, but Clift, and infielder, backed her up and threw out the Buc at first base.
“Best defense we’ve played all year,” McFarlen said.
Sequim added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Kirsch hit a two-out double and Montelius knocked her in as Sequim led 6-2 going into the seventh.
Kingston rallied in the final inning, putting two runners on before Kaley Bartel smacked a two-run double. But Bentz got the final two outs for a win, helping Sequim lock down a key No. 2 seed at districts.
The win left the Wolves tied for second place with Olympic, but the Wolves advance with a higher season thanks to a preseason tiebreaker.
“If we play like we did tonight, we can make it to state and do well,” Kirsch said.
“We’ve got to be more communicative on the field,” Clift said of Sequim’s chances for wins in the playoffs. “We’ve all been working on our hitting and staying positive.”
Five Sequim players saw their final game on the SHS field: Bourm, Clift, Kirsch, Wilson and Shelby Lott, who missed the season because of injury.
Clift (shortstop) and Kirsch, Sequim’s left side of the infield, said they appreciated being able to play next to their best friend for four years.
Montelius finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, Kirsch was 3-for-4 and scored twice, and Gumm was 3-for-3.
Olympic League standings (final)
Team Lg. Over.
Port Angeles 11-0 16-0
Sequim 9-3 13-5
Olympic 8-3 13-4
Kingston 5-6 8-6
Bremerton 4-8 5-11
North Mason 3-9 3-13
North Kitsap 0-11 2-15
