Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

Bring on the best.

Sequim’s juniors softball squad is tops in its district and headed to the state tournament in Poulsbo next week after blasting Key Peninsula in the finals of the District 2 Little League softball tournament July 13.

Sequim toppled Key Peninsula 15-3, including a solo home run from Demiree Briones.

“We had a great time,” manager Shelley Haupt said. “It’s our aggressive running (and) everybody hits the ball. They really do a good job hitting.”

Sequim opened the tourney by blasting North Kitsap 20-0 on July 5 and trounced Key Peninsula 18-1 a day later. Needing just one win in two tries,

Sequim pounced on Key Peninsula early.

At the state tournament, Sequim opens against Glenwood Little League (Vancouver, Wash.) at 6 p.m., July 22 at Snider Park in Poulsbo. A win pits Sequim against the winner of Evergreen Little League versus Bonney Lake/Sumner on July 23; a loss forces Sequim into a loser-out game against the Evergreen/Bonney Lake loser earlier that day.

The juniors are Sequim’s lone Little League team remaining after both of the younger squads slipped in their brackets.

Sequim’s 9- and 10-year-olds looked to battle out of the consolation bracket after getting blown out by Jefferson County July 6 but came up one run short in a loss to Bainbridge Island, 7-6, on July 12.

Needing two wins for the district crown, Sequim’s 11- and 12-year-old majors softball squad fell just short, dropping an 11-5 decision to champs Bainbridge July 7.

Sequim beat Key Peninsula 37-0 to open the tourney but fell to Bainbridge 7-6 after a close play at home plate.

Sequim rebounded by topping a Jefferson County team 10-1 on July 6 but couldn’t beat the Islanders a day later.



9 & 10 year old boys fall

Sequim’s youngest baseball squad is done for the season after its comeback bid against South Kitsap Western fell short 9-7 on July 8.

Down 6-0 after two innings, Sequim battled back to a 6-6 tie but left runners stranded in each of the last two innings.

“These kids did an outstanding job,” coach Rick Dryke said. “I’m proud of them; they could have folded after those first two innings. They came right after them. I think we just left too many runners on base.”

Chris Whitaker pitched five innings and was 3-for-4 with a double, triple and three RBIs at the plate. Andrew Thomas was 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Daniel Harker was 2-for-4 and drove in a run.

“It was definitely a fun group to have; they shouldn’t hang their heads,” Dryke said.