Wolves remain unbeaten

It’s not a light at the end of the tunnel, but the Bridge Division of the Narrows League is starting to see some separation between itself and the South Kitsap fastpitch team.

Amanda Galla and Brittany Miller combined to keep Central Kitsap at bay long enough for sophomore Natalie Peapea to deliver the game-winning hit as the Wolves topped the Cougars 3-2 on Friday at the SK field.

The win moves South to 10-0 overall and 6-0 in league play, and, more importantly, gives the Wolves a two-game cushion at the halfway point of league play.

Central dropped to 8-2 and 4-2 and into a three-way tie for second place with North Kitsap and Gig Harbor.

The Wolves have three games this week against the bottom half of the league in Bremerton, Port Angeles and Shelton.

“This one helps us a lot,” South coach Kathy Ballew said. “But we won’t relax. We know we have our work cut out for us, but our girls always come ready to fight.”

And fight they had to on Friday. Peapea’s double in the bottom of the seventh inning plated Chantal Boddie and won the game for Miller, who pitched the final two innings and raised her season record to 7-0.

Galla, who had started the game, tossed five solid innings, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out four.

“It was frustrating to see that many hits go by,” Galla said. “I don’t like to get hit.”

Central scored one run with a two-out rally in the third, getting three straight singles off Galla before adding a second run in the fifth on a single and double.

“I thought she threw a very smart game,” Ballew said. “She didn’t throw a lot of pitches, but sometimes things happen against a good team.

“Anytime (the opposition) has seen your pitcher a couple of times, it’s good to give them a different look,” Ballew said. “That’s always in our mind. It doesn’t matter who’s on the mound first. You’re probably only going to get one or two (times through the lineup) before a good team is going to catch on anyway.”

Miller, who relieved Galla after the fifth inning, faced just six batters and struck out four of them.

“They complement each other so well,” Ballew said. “If we can do that, go 1-2, it doesn’t matter which one (wins). It could have been the other way around.”

And while Galla didn’t pick up the win, she’s 2-0 on the year and did everything she could at the plate get help the Wolves get the win.

The senior singled twice, walked once, scored twice and put South in position to win in the sixth inning by moving runners over on a ground out.

“I just go out there with every at bat and try to do my best,” Galla said. “If it works out, it works out.”

But it was Peapea who got the winning shot in the bottom of the seventh. After Boddie singled to lead off the inning, Peapea came up with one out and laced the first pitch she saw into the gap in right-center, sending Boddie all the way to score the game winner.

“I just kept thinking, ‘Relax. Relax,’ ” Peapea said. “And then I just hit it. I saw it and thought to myself, ‘This has to be the one.’ And then, I just went for it.”

Ballew said that the team’s depth has been key all season as different people have stepped up to deliver each time.

South Kitsap 3, Central Kitsap 2

Played April 22 at South Kitsap

Score by inning

Central Kitsap 001 010 0_2 7 1

South Kitsap 100 010 1_3 7 1

Erika Quint and Caitlin Argyle; Amanda Galla, Brittany Miller (6) and Caty Lieseke. W-Miller (7-0). L-Quint.

Leading hitters: CK – Britt Waldon 2-3 (RBI), Shannon Sumner 1-3 (2B,RBI), Karli Baumgartner 1-2 (SB). SK – Amanda Gall 2-3 (2R), Chantal Boddie 2-4 (RBI), Natalie Peapea 1-4 (2B,RBI).

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