The South Kitsap Wolves baseball team tried to keep it competitive with one of the top teams in the state, but ultimately ended up losing 7-3 to undefeated Puyallup March 25 in Port Orchard.

It was the first conference matchup of the season for both squads. Puyallup moved to 5-0 overall while SK is 0-5.

The Wolves have only tallied 3 runs per game this season while giving up 10, struggling to make headway in the South Puget Sound League.

“I knew I was coming out to face one of the best teams in the state and in the country,” SK starting pitcher Brody Gradberry said.

Gadberry gave up a run in the first inning off a sacrifice fly, but held the Vikings scoreless in the second. The Wolves’ offense didn’t have a hit through two innings.

SK got its first hit when Nolan Bayne smacked a double to right field. Bayne scored on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 3-1. SK left fielder Thomas Frei hit a double to right, but Curtis Puryear popped out, ending the inning.

Puyallup pushed its lead to 4-1 following an RBI double. Gadberry was pulled for relief pitcher Jordan Yashruti in the top of the fourth.

“Gadberry did a great job starting,” SK coach Marcus Logue said. “We were going to keep him under 70 pitches, just in case we [want to] pitch him again later this week.”

SK third baseman Mason Williams was walked and stole second base in the bottom of the fifth. He scored on an errant throw to third, making the score 5-2. Yashruti attempted a bunt, but it popped up to Viking starting pitcher Jett Reed, ending the inning.

Williams was walked, giving the Wolves a man on base in the bottom of the seventh inning. He later scored off a Puyallup error with no outs, but the Wolves couldn’t complete the comeback.

“They’re [Puyallup] a tough team, so you know, competing with them today and [if] a couple things here and there go our way, could be a totally different ball game,” Logue said.