It may not have meant much in the standings, but the Ballard High School baseball team's 11-2 win over Woodinville May 7 was just about the best ending the Beavers could ask for to what was a rough 2009 season.

Ballard had a 9-3 lead going into the final inning against Woodinville April 3. Woodinville exploded for seven runs, won the game and sent the Beavers on a 10-game losing streak, changing the course of their season dramatically.

"The Woodinville game was the turning point in the season," senior Nick Palewicz said. "We were 2-1 in the league before that, and we would have been 3-1 with that win. The 10-game losing streak started with that loss, and we lost a lot of confidence."

Five weeks and 10 losses later, Ballard got its revenge.

Senior Dylan Murphy went two-for-four with a home run and senior Jason Bergerson went two-for-three with a double and a triple.

Starting pitcher Emmett Niland, who spent most of the season at catcher, went five innings, giving up one earned run, walking two and striking out four.

The Beavers finished 6-12 overall and 5-11 in the league. But, there is hope on the horizon for Ballard baseball.

The junior varsity C baseball team won four of their last five games with timely hitting and strong pitching and defense, assistant coach Leo Jaeger said.

Varsity coach John Lamm said the JVC team could have easily accepted losing and quietly finished out the season, but the players worked hard to improve and it paid off.

"The JVC team has been a bright spot in my first year as coach," Lamm said in a letter to the Ballard players.

In the letter, Lamm warned of changes coming to Ballard baseball next season.

The coaching staff will expect more from the players and tough rules and consequences will be put in place, he said.

"We will find the players that will put the gasoline suit on and run through fire to play baseball," Lamm said. "It is not a right to be in the program anymore, but it's a privilege and honor."