PORT ANGELES — Wilder Baseball dropped two of three games to Pac Tech in a weekend series at Civic Field.
Longview-based Pac Tech won both of Saturday’s games by scores of 6-2 and 4-2 before Wilder came alive Sunday to win 8-5.
“They pitched very well on Saturday,” Wilder senior team coach Mike Politika said of Pac Tech.
“They had two good pitchers who kept us off-balance.”
Wilder struck out seven times in Saturday’s first game and eight times in the second game.
The two losses were the first of the season for the Wilder senior team, which is now 8-2.
The area team was able to get on base against Pac Tech — Wilder had 14 hits in the two games, while Pac Tech had 16 — but struggled to bring runners home.
“We had opportunities to score but didn’t get the timely hit,” Politika said.
Travis Paynter doubled and drove in a run for Wilder and Brett Wright, Nick Johnston, Larsson Chapman, Eathen Boyer, Tanner Rhodefer and Curren Bradley each had singles.
Wright, Chapman and Boyer had good a series at the plate, each recording hits in all three games.
Wright was 6 for 12 with two doubles, three runs and an RBI.
Chapman went 5 for 11 with a double, two runs and an RBI.
Boyer was 5 for 9, including a pinch hit in his only at-bat in game two, doubled twice, scored once and drove in three runs.
James Grubb started on the mound in the opener and fell into an early hole, allowing Pac Tech to scores three runs in the top of the first.
Tannner Rhodefer came on in the third inning and held Pac Tech to two runs and five hits over the final 4 2/3 innings while striking out three.
“Tanner came in and shut them down,” Politika said.
Wilder’s ace, Nick Johnston, pitched a solid six innings in the second game, scattering eight hits and walking only two.
Politika said the defense made some plays to help Johnston, but also committed three errors that harmed his effort. Only one of the four runs Johnston allowed was earned.
Chapman had two hits, including a double, and drove in one for Wilder.
Wright scored a run and drove in another. Rhodefer scored Wilder’s other run in the 4-2 loss.
In the third game, Wilder’s bats awoke with 14 hits in the 8-5 win.
Wright had four those hits and scored two runs, while Boyer had two doubles and a single and drove in three runs.
Paynter drove in two runs and scored two more, Chapman was 2 for 5 with two runs and Zach Withrow doubled and had an RBI.
Dusty Bates and Ryan Mudd also drove in runs for Wilder.
Wilder fell behind 3-0 in the second inning but responded with three runs of its own in the third and three more in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead, and then added one run apiece in the seventh and eighth innings.
The third game was scheduled as a nine-inning contest.
Wilder was helped by the seven errors committed by Pac Tech.
Paynter pitched five innings and Jordan Shepherd pitched the final four innings for Wilder.
They combined to hold Pac Tech to six hits and struck out two apiece.
With high school graduation later this week — the Wilder Senior team is made up entirely of players form Port Angeles and Sequim — Wilder (8-2) will play only one game this weekend when hit hosts the Kitsap Senior team Sunday at Civic Field at 4 p.m.
First Game
Pac Tech 6, Wilder 2
Pac Tech 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 — 6 7 2
Wilder 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 — 2 7 2
LP- Grubb
Pitching Statistics
Wilder: Grubb 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; Rhodefer 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.
Hitting Statistics
Wilder: Paynter 1-3, 2B, RBI; Rhodefer 1-2, RBI; Johnston 1-2, R; Boyer 1-3, R; Wright 1-3; Chapman 1-3; Bradley 1-3.
Second Game
Pac Tech 4, Wilder 2
Pac Tech 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 — 4 9 1
Wilder 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 — 2 7 3
LP- Johnston
Pitching Statistics
Wilder: Johnston 6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, ER, 2 BB, K; Mudd IP, 0 H, 2 BB.
Hitting Statistics
Wilder: Chapman 2-3, 2B, RBI; Wright 1-4, R, RBI; Rhodefer 1-3, R; Withrow 1-3, Boyer 1-1, Konopaski 1-4.
Third Game
Wilder 8, Pac Tech 5
Pac Tech 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 — 5 6 7
Wilder 0 0 3 0 3 0 1 1 x — 8 14 3
WP- Paynter
Pitching Statistics
Wilder: Paynter 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K; Shepherd 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 2 K.
Hitting Statistics
Wilder: Wright 4-5, 2B, 2 R; Boyer 3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI; Chapman 2-5, 2 R; Withrow 1-4, RBI; Mudd 1-3, RBI; Bates 1-1, RBI; Konopaski 1-4, R.
