The South Whidbey baseball team lost the second of three games to Lakewood 9-5 Wednesday.

The Cougars moved to third in the Cascade Conference at 6-5 and the Falcons dropped to fifth place at 3-5.

Despite good pitching by Adam Babcock, Nick Tenuta’s second home run of the year and Lucas Yale’s batting, the Falcons were overcome once again by a key inning.

With the score tied at 0-0 going into the third, Lakewood picked up the first two runs of the game. Their first two hitters picked up singles and then moved up a base on a wild pitch. Two ground balls later both runners had scored.

Not to be outdone, the Falcons roared back to capture the lead in the bottom of the third, picking up three runs of their own and taking the lead 3-2.

With two outs on the board, Yale fired a single that brought him to first base. Yale then stole second and was able to score on a Robert Kirby single to center.

Then Falcon captain Nick Tenuta marched to the plate, took a mighty swing and launched a rocket 275 feet over the center- field fence.

“Oh, my, look at that ball fly,” said Lakewood fan Joel Tensen.

It was Tenuta’s second homer of the season and moved South Whidbey ahead by one, 3-2.

Tenuta recalled he had come in early to practice his swing.

“I was looking for a curve ball and their guy threw the perfect pitch,” he said.

But in the top of the fourth, the Cougars struck back, bringing in five runs on six hits and one key Falcon miscue.

“Adam (Babcock) threw very well for the Falcons and deserved better, allowing only four of the nine runs given up to be earned runs,” said Falcon coach Dave Guetlin.

The Falcons made it interesting in the sixth inning as they came back to pick up two more runs.

Trapper Rawls, coming off a series of injuries, made his first appearances at the plate this season. Rawls blasted a lead-off one-hop ball over the left field fence for a double. Mick Poynter went to first after being hit by a pitch and Colton Wilson scrambled to first getting on via a Lakewood miscue and loading the bases.

Falcon sophomore catcher David Woodbury then picked up two RBIs on a single to center field.

“Though the Falcons have struggled of late, there were many positives that came out of the game,” Guetlin said. “They have a chance to turn things around on Friday.”

Tenuta agreed and said that while the boys have the tools needed to win, they haven’t found the common ground.

“We all need to perform well on the same day, sort of like a well-oiled machine. Then this losing streak will be behind us,” he said.

At 4 p.m. Monday, April 13, South Whidbey welcomes Sultan to Falcon Field.

Jeff VanDerford can be reached at 221-5300 or sports@southwhidbeyrecord.com.