The Bainbridge baseball team took a massive loss against Port Angeles April 23, losing 3-1 to the Roughriders.

Both teams were tied for first with North Kitsap before the game. However, the Vikings and Roughriders won, dropping the Spartans into third place with two games left.

“It puts us in a really tough spot,” Bainbridge coach Geoff Brown said. “I told them if we take another loss, I don’t know if we make it. Our back is against the wall.”

Port Angeles took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Roughrider Rylan Polotika picked up an RBI on a squeeze bunt and Ezra Townsend picked up an RBI double.

Bainbridge struggled to score with runners on through the first four innings.

“We got to do a better job with runners in scoring position,” Brown said. “We had them on the ropes in multiple innings and were just not getting that hit.”

The Spartans bad luck began when leadoff batter AJ Larsen hit a ball into left field. Larsen tried extending a double into a triple but was thrown out. The Spartans had a chance to add several runs in the fifth inning.

Larsen, Talan Williams and Duncan Bos loaded the bases with no outs. After JT Harby was hit by a pitch to score a run, the Spartans picked up three straight outs and stranded three runners.

Port Angeles picked up its insurance run in the top of the sixth on a passed ball.

Since the Spartans sit at third place in the Olympic League, their path to state has become much tougher.

If the Spartans won against Port Angeles, they could have had the opportunity to win only two games at districts to head to state. Now, the Spartans need to win their two regular season games and four straight games at districts to head to state.

“It’s in that spot where we get to playoffs, and it’s lose or go home,” Brown said.