by MICHAEL DASHIELL

Sequim Gazette

The idea of eight games in 10 days? Most Major League ballplayers wouldn’t bat an eye.

For high school teenagers and their coaches, it’s a challenge.

That’s what Sequim’s Wolves and other Olympic League squads are looking at as they battle each other and wet conditions this spring.

A series of postponements has the Wolves playing nearly every day for the next week-and-a-half.

“This is the worst spring I’ve seen in 17 years of baseball,” Sequim coach Dave Ditlefsen said. “My No. 1 concern is the wear in the pitchers’ arms. We can certainly monitor their innings to keep them safe (but the) reality is, most of these guys play other positions. It’s tiring for everybody. Had there been no rain and we were just playing two games a week, we wouldn’t need to go quite as deep.”

Senior Drew Rickerson did exactly that in the Wolves’ lone game during spring break, tossing six innings of five-hit ball in an 8-4 home win on March 29 against Port Townsend.

Rickerson gave up three earned runs and struck out eight while reliever Tyler Campbell fanned three Redskins in a scoreless ninth.

At the plate, Rickerson was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs and three steals, Campbell doubled and drove in two runs, while teammates Preston McFarlen and Anthony Ignagni added two hits each. McFarlen scored twice and stole two bases.

Up 6-2 going into the sixth inning, Sequim gave up a pair of runs, but got a two-run, pinch-hit single from Kyler Johnston in the bottom of the inning for insurance runs.

“We pitched well, played good defense,” Ditlefsen said. “I was a little disappointed in our at-bats. I thought our kids were a little overanxious with the slower pitching.”

A March 28 date at Olympic was rained out.

Sequim was slated to take on Kingston away on April 4 and host North Mason on April 5 — results were unavailable at press time.

Sequim is at Klahowya on April 6, hosts Chimacum on April 7, plays at Sultan on April 9, hosts Bremerton on April 11, is at Olympic (Silverdale) on April 12 and plays at rival Port Angeles on April 13.

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.