One bad inning was the difference in the game.

The Coupeville softball team played six solid innings Monday afternoon against Sultan and sported a 2-0 lead going into the top of the sixth inning.

But a single and a double along with a couple of errors resulted in the Turks pushing three runs across the plate and the Wolves were unable to come back, dropping a tight 3-2 decision.

After the game, coach Jim Wheat agreed that it was only a matter of time until Coupeville (0-4) breaks into the win column.

“I told the girls not to hang their heads. We played six great innings of softball,” Wheat said. “We had that one inning where we fell apart with two outs, but overall we played a very good game.”

Mandy Murdy scored both runs for the Wolves, crossing the plate with two outs in the second inning after reaching base on an error, and sailing home on Kim Weatherford’s double in the fourth inning.

“Mandy had a great game both at bat and defensively,” Wheat said.

Other than the two sixth-inning miscues, Coupeville played good defense behind pitcher Nikki Griffin and even turned an inning-ending double play.

“In the last couple of weeks we’ve seen our defense mature, grow and make the right plays,” Wheat said. “Nikki threw the ball well and had great control.”

Griffin struck out five and walked only two Sultan batters.

“I told the girls it could have easily gone the other way,” Wheat said.

The Wolves play at Lakewood Friday and return home to face Granite Falls at 4 p.m. Monday.