Falcons bounce back from loss to Lakewood

The Falcon baseball team ended a hard week Friday with a 9-1 loss to Lakewood after winning two previous games in the series. But South Whidbey is still in the hunt with a 6-1 league record (6-2 overall), just behind undefeated powerhouse Granite Falls.

The Falcon baseball team ended a hard week Friday with a 9-1 loss to Lakewood after winning two previous games in the series.

But South Whidbey is still in the hunt with a 6-1 league record (6-2 overall), just behind undefeated powerhouse Granite Falls.

The boys bounced back Monday with a 7-2 win over Coupeville, but the memory of Lakewood’s dominance on offense still rankles.

“The team seemed to finally run out of gas Friday after having played four games in the last five days,” Falcon Coach Dave Guetlin said. “After two of the most dramatic games ever for the Falcons this week, the energy seemed to be all but gone for the Birds.”

After a 10-inning whopper earlier in the week and a come-from-behind victory over Sultan, the steam was gone and the Falcon bats fell silent.

Lakewood’s pitcher Max Dragich couldn’t be stopped Friday; the Falcons only had two hits in the second inning and that was just a taste of things to come.

Paul Saelens led off with an infield hit, followed by CJ Baker’s single to center. Patrick Smith then moved both runners over on a perfect sacrifice bunt. Saelens then scored the only Falcon run on a sacrifice fly by Aaron Mannie.

“Jason Shoudy started on the mound for the Falcons and threw six strong innings while having come in the day before to get the save in the dramatic win over Sultan,” Guetlin said. “Shoudy gave up only two earned runs on the day as Falcon miscues proved costly.

Today, the boys are in Coupeville for a 4 p.m. start, then finish the series at home Friday, April 6.