After how the season started, it hard to be discouraged by Coupeville’s two-and-out trip to the bi-district baseball tournament Saturday, May 4, in Bellingham.
The Wolves’ record was 0-12 on April 10 and a berth in the bi-district tournament wishful thinking.
Coupeville then rattled off seven straight wins to secure a postseason spot. That seven-game string ended Saturday when the Wolves lost to Meridian 6-1 and Overlake 3-2.
Meridian 6, Coupeville 1
“That’s the way the ball bounces” is one of the oldest cliches in sports. That ol’ ball certainly didn’t drop in the Wolves’ favor against the Trojans.
Senior Dane Lucero, making his final start on the mound for Coupeville, was solid. “Solid” isn’t usually associated with allowing 12 hits and six runs, but the fickle sports gods didn’t guide the ball his or the Wolves’ way.
Only two of the hits cleared the infield in the air. The others were either bunts, infield hits or balls that dribbled between the Coupeville infield defenders.
The Wolves opened the game by scoring in the top of the first. Hawthorne Wolfe singled, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on Lucero’s base hit.
Lucero finished with two hits, and Wolfe, Matt Hilborn, Ulrik Wells and Shane Losey all added singles.
“We hit the ball hard,” coach Chris Smith said, “but couldn’t string the hits together.”
Meanwhile, everything Meridian put into play seemed to fall.
Overlake 3, Coupeville 2
A promising start to the seventh inning came up short and the Wolves were eliminated from the bi-district tournament.
Hilborn blanked the Owls on three hits over the first four innings, then Overlake struck for all three of its runs on four hits in the fifth.
After stranding five runners in the first four innings, Coupeville scored a run in the fifth to go up 1-0 behind singles by Losey and Wolfe and an error.
Overlake responded with its three runs, then turned back a Coupeville rally in the seventh.
In the seventh, Losey and Hilborn both walked to start the inning but only Losey was able to score as the tying run was left at third when the game and season ended.
Wolfe, Lucero, Losey and Gavin Knoblich collected the only Coupeville hits.
Hawthorne Wolfe steals second base for Coupeville. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
Matt Hilborn’s bunt moves up a runner against Meridian. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
Dane Lucero fields a bunt and throws to first base for an out. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
Coupeville second baseman Daniel Olson waits for the ball during a Meridian steal attempt. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
Third baseman Jake Pease reaches for a throw. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)
