The Ballard High School softball team played well enough to earn the win until the fifth inning, when it blew a 1-0 lead, ultimately losing 9-1 to Eastlake.

Coach Kyle Gray said the team played great defense and Sophie Overlock-Pauley pitched a great game to preserve the shutout for five innings. But he said a few controversial calls in the fifth lead to an Eastlake rally.

"It was a poorly umped game, I thought," said Gray, who left the game due to those calls.

Kimmerly Amry stole home for the Beavers' one run.

Ballard (1-9 overall, 1-8 conference) has lost six in a row, during which stretch they have only scored three runs.

Gray said the record and the scores can make it seem like the team isn't competing, but that isn't true.

"These girls are still getting better everyday," he said. "They're young and they're excited and they're fighting every game."

Ballard plays Redmond at 4 p.m., April 27 at Lower Woodland.