By SARA MILLER

Kitsap News Group

The South Kitsap Wolves baseball team had an uphill battle against Emerald Ridge April 4. While technically the home team, the Wolves traveled to Puyallup to play the Jaguars to an 8-2 loss.

With several errors against them and giving up more hits than they have all season, head coach Marcus Logue said it’s time for his team to look into themselves to move on and prepare for the rest of the season.

“It is tough to win ball games when we commit six errors and give up 11 hits,” Logue said. “We need to go back to the basics and take care of the little things each day.”

Even though six of of the Jaguars eight runs came in the second inning, the Wolves showed their perseverance and continued to play tough until the end.

Senior Nathaniel Beers was the starting pitcher for the Wolves. After both teams came to a draw in the first inning, and a scoreless top of the second, the Wolves headed out on the field for defense. However, in the bottom of the second, Emerald Ridge began to come at the Wolves, firing on all cylinders, putting South Kitsap on their heels.

“Guys in our locker-room need to reestablish their confidence and remember why they play the game,” Logue said We need to get back to playing for one another.”

The Wolves gave up six runs before they were finally able to get the third out and head into the dugout to hit. Senior Brandon Silowka and junior Cody Bently both drove in three runs for the Jaguars with junior captain Jeffery Fahnlander bringing in the final two. Both Bentley and Silowka had home runs during the game.

In the top of the fourth inning, Jayden Lowe was able to bring in a run for the Wolves to make the score 7-1.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Jerrit Chenier stepped on the mound for South Kitsap and held the Jaguars scoreless for two more innings. Alex Garcia hit in another run for the Wolves with a pop fly to center field with a runner on third, allowing the Nathaniel Rowan to tag up to make the score 7-2 in the top of the fifth.

But that wasn’t enough to rally the Wolves. And when they went back out on defense, Silowka hit his homerun to extend the final score 8-2.

“Now is the time to step up and quit making excuses. We will find out what kind of team we want to be,” Logue said.

This loss moves the Wolves to fifth in the South Puget Sound League with a record of 3-4. Up next, they play Graham Kapowsin April 10. Although the Wolves will be the home team, the game will take place at Graham Kapowsin at 4 p.m.