POULSBO — “Well,” head coach Steve Frease asked, “what is there to say?”

Moments after the North Kitsap baseball team’s one-game playoff run ended with a 4-2 loss, it was an appropriate question to ask.

The young team, led by only four seniors, had started the season as cold as the chilly spring weather, then charged into the third playoff spot in the Narrows League bridge division, beating such formidable opponents as Port Angeles and Woodinville to get there.

But the loss to Stadium proved as enigmatic as the up-and-down Vikings.

North Kitsap grabbed a two-run lead in the fourth inning when first baseman Chris Carlsen belted a deep double to center field, scoring Jacob Freiboth and Justin Vestman.

Earlier in the inning, Feiboth had coaxed a walk from starter Sam Bishop, and Vestman had reached on an error when Bishop’s throw on a Vestman bunt unexpectedly went to second and skipped briefly into center field.

But the 2-0 lasted less than one inning.

Stadium stormed back with three runs of their own in the fifth, taking advantage of several North Kitsap errors to do so.

Outfielder Billy Waldo’s RBI single brought home Chad Meyers, who had reached on an error.

Waldo came home when Brandon O’Malley’s shot to left field was misplayed.

And Richard Almer’s hit, which dribbled into the infield, brought home the third run.

All of the Tigers’ runs came home with two outs.

The Vikings couldn’t recover after the three-run inning by Stadium; they had only two hits after the Tigers took the lead.

“We just couldn’t get a critical hit,” said Frease.

Stadium gained a fourth run in the sixth when Waldo, who is batting .480 on the season, smacked a double to center field to score Bishop.

The Tigers threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with no outs.

But North Kitsap reliever Dan Peck finessed the team out of the threat, striking out second baseman Chad Meyers, scooping Bishop’s bunt with his glove and shoveling it to catcher Quinn Mouser, and coaxing Waldo into a flyout to hold Stadium to four runs.

Stadium head coach Sam Flynn said, “North didn’t give up. They’re a tough team.”

The Vikings had run into a hot team; the Tigers were 12-2 in their last 14 games.

Frease said the Vikings had their chances, but couldn’t take advantage.

He would have liked the team to go further in the playoffs, espeically for the sake of seniors Derek Barker, Brian Liebold, Justin Vestman, and Jacob Freiboth, but is hoping the loss can help his young team return stronger next year.

“Hopefully we can learn and grow from this,” he said.

Stadium 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 – 4 7 0

North Kitsap 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 – 2 5 4

Bishop, Beckerdite (5) and Reardon; Rauen, Howe (7), Peck (7) and Mouser. WP: Bishop. LP: Rauen. Leading hitters: Stadium: Waldo 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI. North Kitsap: Carlsen 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, Leibold 2-4.