The Coupeville High School baseball team battled Cedarcrest to the final pitch before falling 4-3 at Robert Sherman Field Wednesday, March 21.
The Red Wolves ripped the Wolves 10-0 Monday but barely escaped a resilient, unintimidated Coupeville club in the rematch.
Cedarcrest collected four consecutive two-out hits to score two runs in the first inning.
That, combined with Monday’s thumping, could have unnerved the young Wolves, but leadoff hitter Jake Tumblin tripled and scored on a wild pitch to get the Wolves going in their half of the first.
Coach Willie Smith called Tumblin’s hit “huge” in boasting his team’s confidence and showing it could compete with traditionally powerful Cedarcrest (4-0).
The Red Wolves used two hits to score a run in the fifth to make it 3-1.
Zach McCormick led off the Coupeville fifth with a walk and Brandt Bodamer pinch ran. Brian Norris bunted Bodamer to second, then a throwing error on Tumblin’s grounder to third scored Bodamer and allowed Tumblin to reach third. A strikeout ended the inning.
A single, error, balk and sacrifice fly made it 4-2, Cedarcrest, in the sixth.
The Wolves would load the bases in both the sixth and seventh, but come away with only one run.
In the seventh, Paul Schmakeit led off with a pitch single and Korbin Korzan re-entered to run. Tumblin walked, then after a strike out, Ben Etzell hit one in the gap but Korzan was thrown out at the plate on a close play.
Morgan Payne walked to load the bases, then Drew Chan walked to force in one run. A strike out finished the game.
Coupeville threatened in the second inning but had two base runners picked off.
Kurtis Smith also collected a hit for the Wolves.
Coach Smith said he was pleased with his defense after a shaky effort Monday.
He added, “We talked to them on how to approach a game like this and they responded.
“We certainly had opportunities. That is what you want — to give yourselves an opportunity to win.”
Coupeville (0-2, 2-3) plays a nonleague game at Lynden Christian (3-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 24, then gets back into league action Monday at 4 p.m. with Lakewood (4-0).
