PREP BASEBALL: Sequim off to explosive start

SEQUIM — The surprise of the baseball season so far has been Sequim’s scorching start.

The Wolves are 4-0 and have outscored their opponents 44-6 by racking up at least 10 runs in each game.

They have two shutouts, including a 10-0 win over Kingston in five innings Monday.

Adding to the amazement of the start is that the starting lineup is packed with freshmen and sophomores who are contributing to Sequim’s success.

“It’s a young group that has come together,” coach Dave Ditlefsen said.

“We saw this group coming up, they had a lot of success. And they’re adjusting to the varsity level very well so far.”

Freshman Dylan Lott, who has been starting at shortstop and pitched a few innings, batted leadoff went 2 for 4 against the Buccaneers on Monday with a double, a steal, a run and an RBI.

Sophomore Evan Hurn batted second and drove in two runs and scored two.

The Nos. 3 and 4 hitters were two of the Wolves’ only seniors, outfielder Brett Wright and ace hurler Nick Johnston, both members of last year’s All-Peninsula team.

Johnston drove in two runs and pitched a one-hitter with five strikeouts.

After those two, sophomore Nigel Christian, who made many varsity starts in 2013, had one hit and drove in a run.

Following Christian were freshman Bailey Early (1 for 3), sophomore Daniel Harker (3 for 3, two doubles and two runs), junior Tanner Rhodefer (1 for 3, two runs) and junior Dusty Bates, who had a hit and two runs.

Ditlefsen knew Sequim’s pitching was deep and the fielding would be improved, but he didn’t expect the Wolves to be so explosive with their bats.

“Offensively, we’ve come out hitting,” Ditlefsen said. “That’s been the most pleasant surprise.”

In a poll conducted by the Kitsap Sun, the Olympic League’s coaches voted Sequim to finish seventh in the nine-team league.

So far, the Wolves look like contenders for at least a postseason berth. But only four games into the season, it might be too early to tell.

“We still have things we need to work on,” he said. “There will be mistakes that young kids make.”

Sequim could be in for a learning experience today on the road against North Kitsap (3-1), which was picked by the league’s coaches as the favorite to win the league title.

Sequim 10, Kingston 0

Kingston 0 0 0 0 0 ­— 0 1 1

Sequim 1 4 0 0 5 — 10 12 0

WP- Johnston; LP- Shuey

Pitching Statistics

Kingston: Shuey 2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB; Rabedeaux 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, BB, 5 K.

Sequim: Johnston 5 IP, H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 5 K.

Hitting Statistics

Kingston: Shuey 1-1.

Sequim: Harker 3-3, 2 2B, R, RBI; Johnston 2-2, 2 RBI; Lott 2-4, 2B, R, RBI, SB, Hurn 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB.

________

Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in Sports

Port Angeles’ Teanna Clark goes up for a basket against North Kitsap in Port Angeles on Tuesday. Clark had a solid game with 14 points, five assists and four steals in a 53-28 Roughriders victory. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP ROUNDUP: Port Angeles girls overwhelm North Kitsap

Lindsay and Lexie Smith: 32 points and 18 rebounds

Port Angeles Roughriders.
PORT ANGELES BASKETBALL: Roughriders lose another heartbreaker at the buzzer

The Port Angeles boys basketball team rallied in the fourth… Continue reading

Sequim's Victoria Nava rolls in a match Monday against Port Angeles at Laurel Lanes. Nava led the Sequim bowlers with a two-game score of 313 while Port Angeles' Zoey Van Gordon led all bowlers with a 337 . (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP ROUNDUP: Balanced Sequim girls outroll Port Angeles

The Sequim girls bowling team used consistent individual scores… Continue reading

Gus Halberg, Port Angeles basketball.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Gus Halberg, Port Angeles basketball

The boys on the Port Angeles basketball team had their backs against… Continue reading

East Jefferson’s Manaseh Lanphear Ramirez gets a pin against Charles Damien of Kingston at 150 pounds during the Rivals’ duals tournament held this weekend in Port Townsend. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP WRESTLING: East Jefferson second at home invitational

East Jefferson finished second in its home Rivals Invitational… Continue reading

GIRLS WRESTLING: Trio of Forks, Port Angeles girls take first at Olympic tourney

Forks’ Jade Blair and Peyton Johnson and Port Angeles’ Lilly… Continue reading

BOYS SWIMMING: Riders dominate Buccaneers

The Port Angeles boys swim team came away with… Continue reading

Peninsula College's Akeem Sulaiman drives to the hoop Saturday in Port Angeles against Silas Wright (10) and Ben Thornbrue of Lane.Sulaiman scored 20 to go with 12 rebounds. (Jay Cline/Peninsula College)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Pirates men win two out of three at home tournament

The Peninsula College men’s basketball team won two out… Continue reading

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Peninsula women sweep three at Clark tournament

The Peninsula College women’s basketball team swept three games… Continue reading

Port Angeles' Gus Halberg drives the lane against Olympic on Friday night. Halberg had 25 points and went to the free-throw line 17 times in a 75-40 Port Angeles victory. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
BOYS PREP BASKETBALL: Riders bounce back with resounding win over Olympic

Sequim remains in first place after crushing Bainbridge