Gig Harbor eliminated from league playoffs

Tides drop two straight, including one in extra innings

Marques Hunter

of the Gateway

TACOMA — The Gig Harbor Tides baseball team picked the wrong two games to mishandle the baseball.

Having finished in second place in the Narrows League Bridge Division the Tides (13-5 overall, 10-4 league) played the Central Kitsap Cougars last Friday at Heidelberg Park in a league tournament game.

The win would have secured a West Central District berth.

But after committing four errors, including a costly one in the sixth inning, Gig Harbor lost 6-4 and was eventually eliminated from postseason play.

The Tides were clinging to a 3-2 lead in the sixth before an error loaded the bases with one out. A swinging bunt by Central Kitsap senior Daniel Zylstra forced a play at the plate, but Tides starting senior pitcher Brandon Rohde bobbled the ball and the runner was safe, tying the game 3-3.

Rohde got out of the jam by striking out the next two batters.

The Tides took the lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by sophomore shortstop David Bigelow, but in the seventh — and with the Tides’ Kyle Mauren coming on in relief — a single by Central Kitsap junior Howard McDonald gave the Cougars a 5-4 lead.

A sacrifice fly extended the Cougars’ margin to 6-4.

Gig Harbor sophomore shortstop David Bigelow had an RBI and junior outfielder Nico Youngren knocked a triple and had two RBIs, but the Tides needed more run support after committing four errors, all of which came in the infield.

Tides coach Pete Jansen said the defense let them down.

“We didn’t make the routine plays,” he said. “Our defense was our nemesis.”

Jansen added that Rohde pitched well. He allowed just two base runners in the first three innings and finished with nine strikeouts.

With untimely errors costing the Tides, they were forced to play a loser-out, winner-to-district game against the Bellarmine Lions for the fifth to the WCD tournament.

Extra innings disheartening

Gig Harbor senior Bubba Brown struck out five and allowed just three runs in seven innings on Saturday, but Bellarmine scored four runs in the eighth to eliminate the Tides 7-3.

The Lions’ Derrick Hein, who was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts prior to his final at-bat in the eighth, drove in the go-ahead run. Jack Nettleton doubled off Mauren to begin the eighth.

It didn’t get much better.

An error put runners on first and second with nobody out, and two wild pitches plated one run. Then Beau Didier shot a ball to the gap, extending Bellarmine’s lead to 7-3.

The Tides couldn’t answer in the bottom of the inning.

An inning earlier, Gig Harbor had a chance to win when sophomore David Bigelow singled and senior Drew Young walked. With runners on first and second and two out, freshman outfielder Spencer Manjarrez stepped up to the plate.

Already with an RBI in the game, he had a chance to win it. But Manjarrez popped up to the catcher to end the inning.

Jansen said there were plenty of opportunities to win.

“We had a lot of chances,” he said. “We just couldn’t get the timely hit.”

Gig Harbor Junior center fielder Chet Thompson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases. He said the errors were costly, but their bats simply weren’t awake.

“We knew it’d be close,” he said, referencing a similar game in which Gig Harbor beat Bellarmine earlier this season.

Brown, who pitched his final game with the Tides, said starting the game meant a lot because it could be the last game he ever plays.

“I wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything on the field before I left,” he said. “I didn’t want to leave knowing I didn’t do my best.”

Brown got off to a rocky start, giving up two runs, partially due to an error in left field.

After settling down, Brown allowed three earned runs on seven hits and six walks.

The Tides will lose seven players to graduation — Anthony Nikula, Zach Pearson, Drew Young, Vince Purchase, Kyle Mauren, Bubba Brown and Brandon Rohde.

Among them, one was a defensive starter. However, nearly half of them were starting pitchers.

Reach Sports Editor Marques Hunter at 253-853-9243 or marques.hunter@gateline.com.