CK falls to first-place Gig Harbor after leading most of the game
Published 1:30 am Thursday, April 23, 2026
The Central Kitsap Cougars baseball team (9-7, 7-6 in Puget Sound League) led most of the game but fell in extra innings to the first-place Gig Harbor Tides (11-6, 11-2 PSL), 3-2 April 22 in Silverdale.
Gig Harbor also beat the Cougars 14-2 the day prior at home.
“I thought we came to compete way better than we did yesterday after letting up [14] runs,” CK head coach Justin Brien said. “You know, we couldn’t play six [innings] yesterday, and we played nine today.”
The CK bats got going early in the bottom of the first, with right fielder Grant Lin and center fielder Tanner Herdman both recording RBI’s on a single and a sac fly to right field, giving them an early 2-0 lead.
Starting pitcher Jackson Brady got out to a hot start as well, earning four strikeouts by the middle portion of the second inning, not allowing a baserunner in the process.
Nonetheless, Gig Harbor got their first baserunner off a single to left field, but Brady was later able to pick off the runner at second base after he attempted to steal third, ending the second inning.
CK found themselves in a little bit of trouble in the top of the fourth after letting up a triple, but Brady earned two strikeouts and forced a groundout to CK shortstop Brayden Flaugher, keeping Gig Harbor scoreless after four.
“Seems like they were trying to pull a lot of the pitches with power,” Brady said. “They were missing a lot of the breaking balls moving away from them.”
Cougar Grant Heinze was walked in the first at-bat of the bottom of the fifth, giving the Cougars their first baserunner since the first inning. Flaugher hit a single to left field, giving the Cougars a scoring opportunity. Nonetheless, the Tides were able to retire the ensuing CK batters, keeping the score 2-0 entering the sixth inning.
The Tides found themselves with two baserunners again in the top of the sixth, scoring two runs on sac flies to left field and tying the game up at two apiece.
Heinze got on base via an infield single and advanced to second with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. But the Cougars couldn’t get the runner home, sending the game to extra innings.
CK made a pitching change in the top of the ninth, subbing in Vartanian for Brady. Vartanian walked three Tide batters, loading the bases. Gig Harbor drove a run home after scoring on a fielder’s choice, taking the lead for the first time all game at 3-2.
In the bottom of the ninth, Vartanian got on base with a single to left field to get the tying run aboard. Vartanian advanced to second after Heinze grounded out to first base. Coen Eggert was then walked, but the game ended in heartbreaking fashion after Eggert was picked off at first.
