The Kitsap BlueJackets know an opportunity when they see one.

With second-place Wenatchee in town, the Jackets had the opportunity to close a gap that could propel them into the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League playoffs as a sophomore ball club.

Trailing the Applesox by just three games, despite sitting in fifth place, the BlueJackets are also in the playoff mix with the Bend Elks and Aloha Knights for the second spot. Spokane, leading the league with a 22-11 record as of July 26, have just a two-and-a-half game buffer over Wenatchee. Kitsap trails the Riverhawks by three-and-a-half games.

While Spokane (22-11) would have to stumble mightily against Moses Lake (12-20) and Bellingham (10-22) to weaken the team’s grasp on first, all five teams are still in the title hunt.

So just what did Kitsap do with its opportunity?

The BlueJackets toppled Wenatchee 2-1 Tuesday and 3-2 Wednesday in 14 innings. Thursday, the team had a chance to sweep, but fell 4-3 after nearly pulling off another late comeback. But, the two wins ensured that Kitsap still has not lost a series since the All-Star break, going 10-3 during that span.

“It happens sometimes,” Kitsap coach Matt Acker said of Thursday’s loss, in which Kitsap scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the ninth. “The kids played great this series. We had a chance to win. I can’t believe Wenatchee let the winning run get to second base.”

Trailing 4-0 in a game that was closer than the score would imply, the BlueJackets never gave up. With a vocal fan base cheering them on, the Jackets rallied late when Brian Burmester singled to start the final frame. AJ Smith singled and Max Kwan drew a walk in a great at bat that saw him climb back from an 0-2 count.

South Kitsap grad and Olympic College Ranger Josh Meeker singled in a run, and Brett Kaluza followed with a sacrifice grounder to third base that scored pinch runner Adam Brown. After Doug Buser grounded out to third, Stephen Herzog kept Kitsap alive with a single to score Kwan. Danny Meier, who had three singles heading into his final at bat, struck out to end the rally and the game.

On the mound, North Kitsap grad Kyle Howe started the game, going five innings in the loss.

“We didn’t execute early in the game,” Acker said. “That was kind of frustrating. But other than that, we gave ourselves a chance to win all three games.”

Kitasp had several opportunities early in the game, as evidenced in the fact the Jackets out-hit Wenatchee 12-10. Despite not capitalizing early, several players said that only speaks to the team’s strengths late in the game.

“I wish we had done that earlier,” Smith said. “But it really hits us later in the game.”

“We have good team chemistry, and the team pulls for each other,” Burmester said. “We just don’t quit. We just keep going right at ‘em.”

Several players as well as Acker cited team chemistry as the team’s top asset when games go down to the wire, which has been a regular occurrence lately.

“It’s team chemistry,” Acker said. “This is the kind of kids we want here.”

The BlueJackets traveled to Gresham, Ore. to take on Aloha Friday. They’ll battle Bend on the road before wrapping up the regular season against the Elks with a home stand beginning Aug. 4.

While the road trip will be six games, the BlueJackets agreed that it should be much easier with their first trek earlier this season, which included 12 of 15 games on the road, nine in a row.

“It’s not like we’re going from Kelwona to Spokane again,” Acker said.

“It’s the last road trip,” Smith said. “It was nice to get that big one out of the way. The nicest thing is we’re playing pretty good ball. And the ones we’re losing aren’t bad losses.”