The second time was not the charm for the Bainbridge High varsity baseball team last week, as the Spartans came up short in a 7-4 loss to the visitors from Garfield High.

It was a missed shot at a bit of redemption for the BHS squad, who were obviously looking real hard for a chance to offer up a comeback, having suffered a disheartening 10-0 shutout loss to the Bulldogs earlier in the season already.

Things started well for the Spartans, but it was ultimately not to be. Though the team was batting and fielding better, most of the Spartans’ problems against Garfield originated on the mound.

“We got up early but then didn’t quite finish that out there,” said Spartan Head Coach Simon Pollack.

“The problem came in the sixth inning [with a] lead-off walk, and then a bunch of baseballs basically right down the middle without any speed and they just ripped it.

“Frankly, I would say that the sixth inning pitching killed us,” he said.

It was too close to center, no doubt.

“We left the ball over the plate and they can hit the baseball. So, if you’re going to leave the ball out over the middle of the plate, even a JV player is going to be able to hit the baseball.”

The loss at home left the island team with an overall season record of 6-4, and in the sixth-place spot in the Metro standings. It was the Spartans’ first defeat since the home opener loss to O’Dea on March 29, and it ended a five-game winning streak.

Behind the plate, the team was showing much improvement, Pollack said.

“They were swinging it much better than they have been,” he said. “And certainly much better than that first game [against Garfield] and they’ve been coming that way. They’ve been coming along.”

The answer to the team’s struggles against Garfield, the coach explained, was a reevaluation of the pitching lineup.

“The takeaway is where do I pitch my pitchers and when do I pitch them?” Pollack said. “Obviously [Garrett] Aichele in the beginning did well and then [Nate] Boegl at the end also got guys out.

“Our pitching is a little here, a little there,” he added. “It’s just something we’ll have to piece together and keep the ball down. If you leave the ball up they’ll hit it.”