A rough start was only part of the reason for Sierra High’s 5-3 loss to visiting Turlock on Wednesday.

That and leaving runners stranded in scoring position, according to Timberwolves coach Jack Thomson.

“We didn’t play well early on,” he said of the non-league affair.

Sierra (4-3) immediately fell behind 4-0 at the top half of the first inning.

Turlock’s Justin Hines led off with a four-pitch walk, advancing into scoring position when Kayleb Beretta’s sacrifice bunt resulted into a throwing error.

Tate Soderstrom then ripped a single to right, plating Hines. Two batters later, Tyler Etharidge unleashed a two-run double to center.

The Timberwolves loaded the bases on the home half of the frame with one out. But Bulldog pitcher Cameron Martin got out of the jam with a comebacker, resulting into a 1-3-4 double play.

They also left the bases loaded in the fourth and seventh.

Sierra got one run back in the third. Jesse Babauta reached on a fielder’s choice with two down. After swiping second, he scored on Jacob Peterson’s RBI single.

The Timberwolves made it a one-run deficit in the fifth, with Babauta and Peterson opening up with consecutive singles. Hunter Frisk followed suit, delivering home Babauta with a base hit to left that scooted past the outfield.

Peterson came home on Abraham Velasco’s up-the-middle single.

Turlock (3-2) was helped out by solid pitching. Starter Martin went 4 1/3 innings. He allowed five hits, three runs and fanned four.

Soderstrom, who got an insurance run in the seventh, earned the save.

Peterson went the distance for Sierra.

“JP pitched a good game after the first,” Thomson said.

Babauta had two hits while Peterson, Velasco, Frisk, Chase Sperbeck and JT Ortiz-Martinez had one each.

Freshman

Sierra 13, Buhach Colony 1

Louis Aquila belted an RBI double and pitched three hitless innings with seven strikeouts to lead the Timberwolves on Tuesday.

Steven Eaves threw the final four innings and rung up strikeouts. Ben Suppinger added a two-run double to the attack. Kenny Kuwada and Deshon Thomas also had two-run hits.