Vikings eke out 6-5 win over Port Angeles, claim league lead | Baseball

On May 4 at North Kitsap, Port Angeles scored four runs in the sixth inning to take a one-run lead over the Vikings, and it suddenly became the Roughriders’ game to lose. But PA pitcher Ryan Rodocker allowed the Vikings to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth and North Kitsap’s Tyler Trainer scored the winning run on consecutive wild pitches in the bottom of the seventh to eke out a 6-5 win.

POULSBO — For the Vikings, this win was too close for comfort.

“Yes, it was,” assistant coach Virgil Taylor said.

On May 4 at North Kitsap, Port Angeles scored four runs in the sixth inning to take a one-run lead over the Vikings, and it suddenly became the Roughriders’ game to lose.

But PA pitcher Ryan Rodocker allowed the Vikings to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth and North Kitsap’s Tyler Trainer scored the winning run on consecutive wild pitches in the bottom of the seventh to eke out a 6-5 win.

At the same time, Olympic lost 9-2 at Sequim to yield the Olympic League crown to the Vikings. North Kitsap (9-2, 15-3) is league champion if it defeats the Kingston Buccaneers (1-9, 3-10) May 7 at Kingston. First pitch is at 4:45 p.m.

Olympic (8-3, 10-6) next faces Wilson in a non-league game May 5, Port Angeles (5-6, 8-8) on May 6, then closes its season against 1A Division Port Townsend on May 8.

North Kitsap scored in the first and fourth innings and held Port Angeles scoreless until the fifth. North Kitsap answered with two more to expand its lead to 4-1. Port Angeles then pushed across four runs in the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. Joey Regan relieved Andrew Hecker on the mound with no outs and slammed the door on the Riders.

North Kitsap tied the game at 5 in the sixth inning, then Regan held the Riders scoreless in the seventh. Trainer doubled to left field with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Hecker was walked, then Trainer scored the winning run on wild pitches.

PA’s Jansen Pedersen got a workout on the mound, giving up eight hits, five runs, and six walks in six innings. Reliever Rodocker pitched one inning and gave up one run.

For North Kitsap, Hecker threw 10 strikeouts but gave up five runs on three hits and two walks in five innings. Regan got the win.

At the plate, TJ Jensen led hitting for North Kitsap, going 3 for 3 with a stolen base and two runs. Leif Klinger was 1 for 1 with two RBI. Kole Milyard scored a run. Connor Green was 1 for 4, with an RBI triple and a run. Trainer was 2 for 4 with a double, RBI and the winning run. Joe Creason was 1 for 1 and Zach Marcelino scored the run. Hecker was 1 for 1.

For Port Angeles, Curan Bradley was 1 for 4 with a run. Logan Ciaciuch scored a run. Travis Paynter was 1 for 1 with a two-RBI double. Matt Hendry was 1 for 2 with a run and an RBI. James Pedersen was 2 for 2 with an RBI.