POULSBO — Shortly after umpires called off the North Kitsap Lady Viking and Shelton Highclimber contest, the NK diamond started to look more like a swimming pool than a fastpitch field.

The call came in the top of the sixth inning where NK held a 5-1 lead after rallying in the bottom of the fourth to overcome a potentially dangerous predicament.

“This is a team here that had nothing to lose and they could ruin our whole season,” said North coach Dan Kolda. “We’re in a dogfight sitting in second and a loss like this could’ve really hurt us and the girls know that.”

Shelton came out swinging in the first inning, displaying that careless resolve and jumped on top as NK starting pitcher Rachel Kramer struggled to found her groove.

Shelton’s Stephanie Ware started the game working eight pitches out of Kramer in her first at-bat. She walked, moved around the bases on base hit and a wild pitch, then she scored on a passed ball, giving the Highclimbers an early 1-0 lead.

North didn’t have a direct answer.

The Vikings’ offensive attempts earned nothing but ground outs in the early going but their defensive backbone sustained their game.

“Our motto is, ‘Patience on defense and persistence on offense,’” Kolda said.

Melody Griffin — who led NK offensively with two hits and two RBIs — ripped the Lady Viking’s first base hit of the afternoon in the bottom second to rev the dugout chatter. She moved around to third but Shelton closed the inning before she could score.

Still, the Lady Vikes persisted and the Highclimbers battled.

Shelton was ferocious at the plate, fighting Kramer for every pitch. But NK’s defense was firmly behind its pitcher, ensuring that no Highclimbers would cross the plate again.

“We gave them that one run, that was nothing. We kept putting pressure on them offensively and got a few breaks,” Kolda said. “I wasn’t worried.”

Finally, in the bottom of the fourth, NK’s offensive perseverance paid off. The team started in the heart of its order as Kramer used patience to walk. Then Josie Ball got on base, courtesy of a Shelton error, and Griffin loaded the bases as she walked.

Taking advantage of what was given, Kramer scored on a wild pitch, tying the game. Two batters later, Ball scored on another wild pitch for the go-ahead run, elating the dugout.

Then came one of the quirkiest plays of the season as North had runners on first and third — Hannah McCluskey on first and pinch-runner Jessica Grube on third. At the plate, Shayla Urie walked, Grube thought that the bases were loaded, so she began to stroll home.

The Highclimbers were unaware of her advance until it was too late as Grube slid under the tag, boosting NK to the 3-1 lead.

The Lady Vikes added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth as Griffin and Lauren Romero each smacked RBI singles, boosting NK to the 5-1 final score.

“You like to see base hits and RBIs, but there are a lot of different ways to win a ball game,” Kolda said.

The Lady Vikings have been utilizing versatility to put together a 5-1 Narrows Bridge record thus far and are seated in second place, knocking on Central Kitsap’s door. This week will is do-or-die week for NK, Kolda said, as the Lady Vikings travel to South Kitsap tonight before hosting the undefeated, top-ranked Central Kitsap Lady Cougars at 3:30 p.m. April 21.