Sometimes you just can’t get what you want, or so the old song says.

But Bainbridge got what it needed in its regular season finale against Central Kitsap, as the Spartans squeezed five hits out of the Cougars to prevail 2-0 in girls fastpitch softball.

The matchup on Bainbridge was also the final game of the season for Coach Bruce Welling’s Central Kitsap crew.

“Today was a good game for us, we played a very good team. Bruce always brings a competitive team to the field,” said Bainbridge Coach Liz McCloskey.

“We had to play our best to win today,” she said. “We couldn’t put the runs on the board, but we put two on the board, and that was enough to get us through.”

The two teams battled to a draw through three-and-a-half

innings before Bainbridge took a one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth.

The Spartans tacked on their insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, and Katie Raben held the Cougars scoreless across seven innings on the mound for Bainbridge.

Raben gave up four hits and struck out seven in the non-league matchup for her ninth win of the season.

Sophomore Riley Gregoire led the Bainbridge batters with 2-of-3 batting and an RBI.

Emily Schneider went 1-for-2 and knocked in the Spartans’ other run. Teammate Kate Kinney was also productive at the plate; she went 1-for-2.

The Central Kitsap offense was led by Tiffany Ferrell and Anisa McNeal.

Ferrell went 2-for-3 at the plate, and McNeal was 1-for-3.

McCloskey said the contest against their Narrows League opponents — and Friday’s non-conference 12-7 win against Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) — was good preparation for the playoffs.

Bainbridge, the defending Metro League champions, entered the playoffs this week with a 14-3 record (18-3 overall) against Seattle’s Nathan Hale High.

“After coming off a game on Friday where we had 16 hits and we scored 12 runs, obviously we wanted to come into a game like today and do the same thing.” McCloskey said.

“Our defense did its job, so that was good to see,” she quickly added. “And that’s always helpful for us. If we’re playing that way defensively, we put a couple of runs on the board, our pitcher can hold them – that’s what matters.”

Against Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), the Spartans took a 2-1 lead after the first inning.

Lakeside retook the lead in convincing fashion with a four-run third inning to forge a 5-2 advantage.

The Eagles’ eminence was short-lived, as the Spartans immediately responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the third.

Bainbridge added another three runs in the fourth on a Kate Kinney home run to push the Spartans to a 9-5 lead and put the game out of reach for the Eagles.

Deahna King pitched seven innings for Bainbridge. She gave up nine hits and recorded one strikeout.

Natalie Allen paced Bainbridge on 4-for-4 batting and three RBIs.

Kate Kinney wasn’t the only Spartan to go yard in the game. Her sister Erin Kinney also smacked a home run in the contest.

Emily Schneider was also impressive at the plate for Bainbridge. She went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Alison Reichert and King both finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Riley Gregoire also finished 2-for-4.