Rangers Drop 3 of 4 to Pierce, Postseason Hopes Now Come Down to Final Week

Olympic College ran headlong into a Pierce club playing for position and momentum, dropping three of four games in the West Conference series as the Raiders officially secured second place in the standings. Friday's split at Pierce showed the ceiling of this Rangers group, but Saturday at home underscored how thin the margin has become as the calendar turns to the final week of the regular season.

The series opened with a difficult 11–6 loss in Lakewood, where Olympic stayed within striking distance before Pierce erupted for a four-run seventh and a six-run eighth. Andrew Ahn delivered a three-RBI performance and Tegan Jenkins and Josiah Gooding each drove in runs, but Pierce used patience at the plate and timely extra-base hits to pull away late. Olympic answered immediately in the nightcap with one of its most complete wins of the season, a 7–4 victory highlighted by clutch hitting up and down the lineup. Ahn and Jenkins combined for five hits, Yuji Imai drove in two runs, and the bullpen locked down the final five innings as the Rangers flipped the script and forced a split on the road.

Back in Bremerton on Saturday, Pierce asserted its depth and experience. In the opener, the Raiders jumped out early and never let Olympic build any momentum, taking a 9–2 win despite solid production at the top of the Rangers' order from Greyson Prichard and Ahn. Pierce followed with a 6–3 victory in the finale, capitalizing on a pair of crooked-number innings while Olympic struggled to cash in on chances throughout the afternoon. Dante Acacio finished the game with two hits and Matthew Butler drove in a late run, but Pierce's pitching staff consistently escaped traffic and closed out the series.

Despite the losses, the bigger picture remains clear. Pierce locking up second place shifts all attention to the battle for the fourth and final West playoff spot, where Olympic and Clark are now on a collision course dictated by the final week. Clark closes its schedule with four games against Pierce, while Olympic finishes with four against bottom-dwelling Grays Harbor. The path is simple if not easy: handle business, and let the math take care of itself.

Those four games begin with two at home on Thursday at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds, with first pitch set for 12 noon and 3 p.m. With great weather expected and the season on the line, the Rangers will need energy in the stands as much as execution between the lines. The opportunity is still there. The margin is thin. If Olympic can turn urgency into performance, the final week can still end with the Rangers playing postseason baseball.

To view the NWAC West Standings, click here 2026 Baseball Standings - Northwest Athletic Conference.