Wolves win in extra innings
Published 5:59 pm Friday, April 25, 2008
A line drive single up the middle by sophomore backup catcher Chase Griffin with two out in the bottom of the eighht inning plated Alex Evans with the winning run, and the Coupeville High School baseball team knocked off league-leading Cedarcrest 4-3 in a Wednesday Cascade Conference game.
Playing conditions were miserable and deteriorated as the game progressed, but Coupeville remained focused despite the inclement weather.
The Wolf Pack battled back the entire game and executed plays when they needed to, much to the delight of excited head coach Willie Smith.
“We did a great job today,” Smith said. “We know now we can play with the best team in the league.”
Cedarcrest scored a run off starting pitcher Jason Bagby in the top of the second inning with out the benefit of a hit.
Dakota Bunce drew a one-out walk and after a fielder’s choice and another walk, Bunce scored on a wild pitch.
Bagby had another good start on the mound striking out seven Red Wolf batters in five innings of work, before Evans took over the pitching duties in the top of the sixth inning.
Zack Hauser singled home two runs in the bottom of the third inning to give Coupeville a 2-1 lead, but Cedarcrest scored twice in the top of the fifth when Bunce’s single hit the chalk down the right field line to plate Cameron Pardon and Tommy Edwards with the go-aheaad run.
With the rain falling hard, Coupeville had a chance to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth when James Smith led off with a double and moved to third on Hauser’s sacrifice bunt.
With one out, a squeeze bunt by Evans trickled just foul up the first base line, and Edwards, the Cedarcrest pitcher, struck Evans and J.D. Wilcox out to end the threat.
Trailing 3-2, the Wolves came back to tie the score in the bottom of the seventh inning on a lead-off single by Jared Murdy, a Griffin sacrifice bunt and a single to left field by Kramer O’Keefe.
“The kids did some really good stuff and battled hard the whole game,” coach Smith said. “We executed some plays when we needed to.”
In the bottom of the eighth Evans led off with a walk and Wilcox moved him up to second with another sacrifice bunt.
After Murdy struck out, Griffin came through with his single off relief pitcher Mark Bishop to win the game.
“I’m really excited right now. I was able to come through and get the hit” Griffin said. “The first base coach said ‘go to second, go to second,’ but I said like ‘I’m good, my legs hurt and I’m staying right here.’”
Evans was the winning pitcher in relief, giving up two hits and striking out two in three innings.
