Rangers suffer latest losses to Skagit Valley

For a little while, it looked like Olympic College was about to end it’s losing streak by knocking off one of the best teams in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges.

But after jumping ahead of visiting Skagit Valley 4-3 at the Kitsap Fairgrounds Ballfields thanks to a four-run burst in the bottom of the second inning, the Cardinals proved why they sit amongst the upper echelon of NWAACC teams.

Skagit Valley blasted OC for 16 runs in the fourth and fifth innings before the game was called under constant rain, giving the Cardinals a 19-4 win.

Olympic coach Mike Reese, after the team had already fallen to the Cardinals in three games at the Treasure Valley Tournament earlier this season, was just happy to see his squad start to put together a strong outing.

“That was nice to see from our offense in that situation,” Reese said of the early going in the game. “We came out of that inning up, feeling good. But we’re not competing with Skagit anymore.

“We’re competing with the game.”

OC has continued to learn under fire, improving in each contest as the opponents seemingly get increasingly difficult. Of the Rangers’ 10 opponents so far this season, eight are above a .500-winning percentage while six of those are at no worse than .714. The combined winning percentage of Olympic’s opponents is .649 (157-85).

The loss was the first of four over the weekend for the Rangers, all at the hands of Skagit Valley (19-4), which extended OC’s skid to 19 games.

The second game at the Fairgrounds, which happened even as a lighter rain continued to fall, went to Skagit 10-2. On Sunday, the teams traveled to Mount Vernon for another doubleheader. The opener was much closer, with OC losing a 2-1 pitcher’s duel. Skagit took the second game 11-1.

“That was a really good game,” Reese said of the third game. “We had very good pitching all day. We had a very good approach. They just manufactured one run late.”

Seth Foley had one of his best outings of the season in the 2-1 loss, working his third complete game of the season. Unfortunately, Foley is still winless after Cardinal Chase Sidwell drew a walk, advanced to second on a passed ball, eventually scoring the winning run.

“Sidwell had a very good at bat, a nine-pitch at bat, to get that walk,” Reese said. “They moved him over. It was very good fundamental baseball.”

In the first game, Olympic was in control until errors and walks caught up with the team. Marsh-Quinlan, who has posted an 1.31 ERA this season despite being just 1-2, started the game well, making one mistake pitch over the game’s first three innings that resulted in a 2-run homer for Ricky Reavis. The matter was compounded when Olympic left six runners in scoring position, including the bases loaded in the first inning, without scoring a run.

In the second game, which was also rain-shortened, Erich Holsten took the start and overcame a rocky start in which he allowed four runs in the first three innings. He didn’t allow any more until the top of the eighth, when the Cardinals’ bats woke up and posted six runs in the 10-2 win. Reavis hit his second homer at the Fairgrounds and was joined by teammate Derek Hefley with a round-tripper. Hefley also hit a triple driving in three runs.

In the final game of the series, Nick Schuetz, Devin Dolan and Dustin Carlson ended up giving up 11 runs overall in the 11-1 loss. Reavis hit another home run in going 2-2 with 3 RBI. OC had just two hits in the game.

At 19-4, Skagit Valley is one of the top teams OC has battled in what is probably the toughest schedule in the NWAACC to date. OC is now 2-27 overall, 0-8 in North Division play.

But despite the rough results, Reese said the team continues to show improvement, playing tough through ineligibilities, injuries and other obstacles.

“We’ve been hit really hard with inelgibilities, injuries and guys not being able to

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