Things didn’t go as planned for Coupeville’s Julian Welling in the late innings of the Wolves’ baseball game against visiting Cedarcrest Saturday, April 7, but the senior set the record straight at the end.
Welling lashed a two-out single into the right-field gap to drive in the winning run in Coupeville’s 7-6 non-league victory in eight innings over 2A Cedarcrest, one of the Cascade Conference’s top teams. The game was played in heavy winds blowing from left to right, making for some interesting fly balls.
Welling wasn’t the only hero in a game coach Chris Smith called an “all-around good team effort.”
Matt Hilborn and Joey Lippo were in the thick of each Coupeville rally, and Dane Lucero and Hunter Smith each produced clutch, run-scoring hits.
Coupeville trailed 4-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Hilborn doubled, Lippo walked and Smith stroked a double to plate both, giving the Wolves a 5-4 lead going into the seventh inning.
Welling took over on the mound and was greeted by two extra-base hits to tie the score.
After the Wolves went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, Cedarcrest touched Welling for an unearned run in the eighth to go up 6-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, Hilborn was hit by a pitch with one out to get the winning rally started. Lippo then fired up the home crowd with a triple down the right field line that knotted the game.
After the second out, Welling ripped a line drive to score Lippo with the game winner.
Coupeville scored two runs in the first inning. Hilborn walked, Lippo singled and Lucero drove them home with a two-out single.
The Red Wolves tied the game in the second, and Coupeville regained the lead with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Nick Etzell had a two-out single and scored on Hilborn’s base hit.
Cedarcrest (6-4) took the lead with two runs in the fifth inning to set up the exciting finish.
Hilborn ended the afternoon with two hits, three runs, five stolen bases and an RBI. Lippo had two hits, three runs, two stolen bases, three walks and a run batted in.
Smith, Welling, Lucero, Jake Hoagland, Jake Pease and Etzell also collected hits.
Hilborn, Lucero, Etzell and Welling all pitched two innings and combined for a six-hitter.
Coupeville (2-0, 7-3) returns to Olympic League action when it goes to Chimacum (1-0, 2-5) at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in the first of three straight road games.
Julian Welling tosses a pitch for Coupeville Saturday. Welling was the winning pitcher in part to his own game-winning hit. (Photo by John Fisken)
Starting Coupeville pitcher Matt Hilborn goes after a Cedarcrest hitter. Hilborn was one of the offensive stars with two hits, three runs and five stolen bases. (Photo by John Fisken)
Left fielder Jake Hoagland looks in a fly ball Saturday. (Photo by John Fisken)
Center fielder Joey Lippo races in to snag a Cedarcrest fly ball Saturday. (Photo by John Fisken)
