Whether Coupeville earns a coveted home game in the first round of the Northwest District 1A baseball playoffs depends on the outcome of the final regular season games Monday, April 29.
The Wolves (7-10, 9-10) and South Whidbey (7-10, 7-11) are tied for the top 1A Cascade Conference seed heading into the district tournament which opens Wednesday. The two teams wrap up league play today.
Coupeville holds the tie breaker over the Falcons because they defeated South Whidbey twice in their three-game series this year.
If Coupeville defeats visiting Lakewood (6-11, 7-12) at home at 4 p.m. Monday, it is the top seed. It the Wolves lose, they can still earn the top seed if South Whidbey falls to last-place Sultan (4-13, 4-14) Monday.
The eight-team, double elimination tournament begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the home of the higher seeds.
If Coupeville claims the top Cascade Conference seed, it will be the No. 2 seed overall in the tournament. If it is the second team out of the Cascade Conference, it will drop to the No. 5 seed overall.
The other six tournament teams will come out of the Northwest Conference, which also finishes up its regular season Monday. The tournament slots will be filled once those games are completed.
Coupeville remained in a tie with South Whidbey by defeating visiting Sultan 6-2 Friday, April 26.
Ben Etzell pitched a five hitter, striking out nine, and added two hits and an RBI to pace the Wolves.
Kyle Bodamer added two hits and two RBI.
Coupeville started the scoring with a two-run second. Morgan Payne singled, Jake Tumblin was hit by a pitch and Aaron Curtin walked in front of a two-run single by Bodamer.
Kurtis Smith led off the third with a hit and scored on an error to make it 3-0.
After Bodamer, Aaron Trumbull and Josh Bayne all singled in the fourth, Smith walked with the bases loaded to force in a run.
The Wolves tallied their final two runs in the sixth. Bayne singled, stole second and scored on Etzell’s single. Payne singled in Etzell.
Etzell took a two-hit shut out into the seventh when the Turks put together three hits to score two runs.
