The Coupeville High School softball team trailed until the final pitch of the final regular-season game, then senior Hailey Hammer lined a three-run, two-out double to help the Wolves come from behind to defeat visiting La Conner 5-4 Tuesday, May 19, in a nonleague game.

Hammer, a four-year starter, went out in style with a walk-off hit in her last home at bat, and gave Coupeville some momentum heading into the district tournament.

Coupeville opens postseason play at 6 p.m. Friday, May 22, against Bellevue Christian in a loser-out game at Tacoma’s Sprinker Fields.

If the Wolves win, they will play Chimacum at 11 a.m. Saturday in the double-elimination portion of the tournament.

Although Coupeville lost twice to Bellevue Christian (6-0, 13-4) in nonleague games this year, coach Deanna Rafferty likes her team’s chances.

“We have the ability to beat them,” she said.

Coupeville (7-11) won one of three games over Olympic League champion Chimacum (10-7) this season.

La Conner (13-7) built a 4-0 lead by mixing several hits with a string of Wolves’ errors against pitcher McKayla Bailey, tallying one run in the first inning, two in the fourth and one in the fifth.

Down 4-0 in the sixth, Coupeville got one run back.

Katrina McGranahan led off with a single, stole second and  moved to third and scored on wild pitches.

In the top of the seventh, the Wolves stopped a potential Brave rally with a double play. Robin Cedillo ran down a fly ball in right field and fired to first baseman Monica Vidoni to double-off the runner.

That set up the Wolves’ heroics in the bottom of the seventh.

Kailey Kellner, in her first at bat of the game, started the uprising with a triple. Cedillo was then hit by a pitch and stole second.

Lauren Rose slapped a single, scoring Keller and cutting the lead to 4-2. Tiffany Briscoe lashed a single to load the bases with no outs.

Things become dicey for Coupeville when the next batter forced Cedillo at home on a grounder to short, then the following hitter popped out.

Enter Hammer. After one strike, she drilled a ball through the left-field gap to clear the bases and help Coupeville win the regular-season finale.

“Hailey Hammer came through in the clutch,” Rafferty said. “You can always count on her.”

“This team is one for theatrics,” she added. “They are giving me gray hairs.”

Hammer finished with three hits; Rose and McGranahan had two each.

Rafferty praised the play of Jae LeVine. Besides making a diving stop at second base, the diminutive singles hitter smashed a long fly ball to the outfield.

“I’m so excited for her,” Rafferty said. “She really cranked it.”

(Center fielder Hope Lodell stretches to make a catch Tuesday. Photo by Jim Waller.)