Klahowya Secondary School used an opportunistic offense and a strong pitching performance to defeat the host Coupeville softball team 7-1 Tuesday, April 19.

The Wolves “cleaned up” their shaky defensive play which hurt them in their previous game, but “(Klahowya) hit the ball well and took advantage of every hit and walk,” Coupeville coach Kevin McGranahan said.

The Coupeville offense ran into a hot pitcher, Amber Bumbalough, and collected only four hits and struck out nine times.

After allowing two walks the first inning, Bumbalough retired 10 consecutive Wolves until walking Mikayla Elfrank in the fifth. Tiffany Briscoe followed with a base hit, but the single was erased when the Klahowya coach notified the umpire that Briscoe wasn’t officially announced into the game.

It was “the first time I ever made that mistake,” McGranahan said, “so, of course, she got a base hit.”

To make matters worse, Kailey Kellner, the Wolves’ next hitter, singled.

“I killed a rally that inning,” McGranahan said.

The Wolves trailed 4-0 at the time. Klahowya scored three runs on a bases-loaded triple in the third inning and added the fourth run an inning later. The Eagles (1-0, 6-4) tacked on three runs in the seventh.

Coupeville scored in the sixth. Lauren Rose led off with a hit and Hope Lodell followed with a bunt single. Rose later scored on Sarah Wright’s ground out.

Elfrank registered the only other Coupeville hit, doubling in the seventh inning.

Coupeville pitcher Katrina McGranahan struck out nine.

“They are a good team, but the score is not what it should have been,” coach McGranahan said. “We get to see them two more times, so we will improve on this game and bounce back even stronger.”

Coupeville (1-2, 6-4) plays at Port Townsend (0-2, 0-7) at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, April 21.

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Mikayla Elfrank puts the ball in play for Coupeville. Photo by John Fisken.