In a battle for first place in the North Sound Conference, Granite Falls defeated visiting Coupeville 12-8 Wednesday, April 17.

The Tigers upped their league record to 5-1 (8-5 overall) and the Wolves fell to 4-2 (6-6) halfway through the conference schedule.

Coupeville takes a break from league play when it hosts Meridian (4-6) at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 10, in the final non-conference game.

The Wolves return to North Sound Conference play at 4 p.m. Monday, April 22, in Sultan (1-4, 1-7).

Granite Falls 12, Coupeville 8

The Wolves’ bats were only “half awake” for the first six innings, according to coach Kevin McGranahan. Coupeville collected five of its 11 hits in the seventh inning, good for three runs but not enough to overtake the Tigers.

“Much better than last time, so we are making progress,” McGranahan said. Granite Falls whipped the Wolves 23-11 March 26.

“Few bounces here and there and we we’re right there,” he added in reference to Wednesday’s loss.

The Tigers jumped on Coupeville for eight runs in the first two innings, forcing the Wolves to play catch-up all afternoon.

Coupeville scored one run in the first when Scout Smith led off with a double and scored on an error.

Base hits by Emma Mathusek and Chelsea Prescott followed by a two-run single by Veronica Crownover made it 8-3 in the third inning.

The Tigers tacked on three runs in the fourth, then Coupeville scored twice in the fifth, thanks to singles by Prescott and Mollie Bailey, an error and Crownover’s sacrifice fly.

Down 12-5, Coupeville scored three times in the seventh on four straight singles (Bailey, Crownover, Nicole Laxton and Izzy Wells) and a two-run double by Chloe Wheeler.

The two-bagger was Wheeler’s first varsity hit.

Smith, Prescott, Bailey and Crownover each finished with two hits; Mathusek, Sarah Wright, Laxton, Mackenzie Davis, Wells and Wheeler had one each.