Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

"All we need," Sequim coach Mel Hendrickson said days before the Sequim Wolves' key April 27 match-up with Klahowya, "is to put it in play."

Put it in play, they did.

Sequim batters slapped nine hits off Klahowya starter Kazandra Holiday, and Chelsie Winfield's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth scored Sarah Donahue for the Wolves' 9-8 victory.

Coupled with Sequim's thrashing of Port Townsend later in the week, Sequim has an inside track on the Olympic League 2A division's 2A seed.

The Wolves (11-4 in league play, 13-4 overall) were slated to play rival Port Angeles on May 4 - results were unavailable at press time. With a win, Sequim would clinch at least a tie for the league's No. 2 seed.

Against Klahowya, Demiree Briones earned the win on the mound. She worked the final seven innings in relief of starter Lauren Hendrickson.

Klahowya pounded out three runs in the first inning and three in the second, but Sequim responded with six runs in the bottom of the second to tie it. The Wolves took an 8-6 lead that Klahowya chipped away at with runs in the fifth and sixth.

Sequim catcher Maddy Zbaraschuck was 2-for-4 with four RBIs while Donahue and Cindy Miller were each 2-for-4. Briones, Winfield and Lea Hopson each had hits.

On May 1, Sequim made quick work of Port Townsend, dispatching the visiting Redskins 17-0 in a mercy-rule shortened, five-inning affair.

Briones was dominant, giving up no hits in her complete game. At the plate she was 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored.

"Demiree was throwing hard today," Sequim coach Mel Hendrickson said.

Hopson fueled a 16-hit attack with two home runs - one of them a grand slam - six RBIs, a walk and three runs scored. Katie Gallahuer was 3-for-3 with three runs, Zbaraschuck had two hits and Miller scored twice. Reserves Beverly Buck and Ashlee Henning also had hits in the blowout.

"I liked that we had aggressive base-running," Hendrickson said. "The girls were hitting the ball hard. We made some adjustments at the plate with the slower pitching."

That may be the last game against an overmatched opponent this season. Following the Port Angeles contest, Sequim has two weeks until their next game, a nonleague playoff prep game against 1A powerhouse Chimacum.

The West Central District tournament is at Sprinker Fields in Tacoma. If Sequim retains the league's No. 2 seed, the Wolves are the home team May 22 against the Nisqually No. 3 seed. If they carry the No. 3 seed instead, Sequim is the visiting team against the Nisqually No. 2 seed.

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.