The Coupeville Merchants Legion A baseball team picked up its first win of the season 7-5 over Bellingham North at Bellingham High School Monday, May 28.
The Merchants were led by the pitching of Aaron Curtin, an errorless defense and an aggressive, timely offense.
Curtin scattered six hits and surrounded only two earned runs in five innings of work.
The spotless defense was highlighted by the play of third baseman Morgan Payne and shortstop Josh Bayne, according to coach Willie Smith.
Payne also rapped a double and drove in two runs, Kurtis Smith was 2-for-4, Wade Schaef had a triple and RBI, Aaron Trumbull collected a hit and two RBI and the team was a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen bases.
Coach Smith said, “Offensively, we had very good execution and some very clutch hits by a variety of players.”
In the fourth, Schaef led off with a triple to right field, and, after a ground out, was squeezed in by Kyle Bodamer for a 1-0 lead.
After Bellingham scored two in its half of the fourth, Kurtis Smith and Jake Tumblin singled to start the fifth and scored on Payne’s double. Payne advanced to third on a great read on a ball in the dirt and then scored when Schaef’s shot at the third baseman couldn’t be handled, putting Coupeville up 4-2.
After Bellingham got a run back to make it 4-3, Coupeville pushed the lead to 7-3 heading into the seventh.
Tumblin reached on an error, then stole second and third. Curtin walked and stole second. After a strikeout, Bellingham intentionally walked Schaef, which brought up Trumbull. He then ripped a single to left center, scoring both Tumblin and Curtin. Cole Payne’s groundout scored Schaef for the final Coupeville run.
Bellingham threatened. After scoring a run off reliever Schaef in the sixth, it loaded the bases in the seventh. Trumbull took over on the mound, gave up a bad-bounce single then induced the Bellingham lead-off hitter, who was 4-for-4, to pop up to end the game.
Coupeville’s Saturday double header with Meridian has been canceled. It will host Burlington at 6 p.m. Monday, June 4.
