Central Whidbey’s protest in the 9/10 Little League state softball tournament in Vancouver was denied late Monday, July 13, and the Coupeville team was eliminated with a 14-11 loss to Northeast Seattle.

Central Whidbey coach Mimi Johnson questioned the eligibility of a Northeast Seattle pitcher.

“Their starting pitcher was subbed out of the game, and there is question as to whether or not she was eligible to return to the pitching plate a second time,” Johnson said. “I asked the host UIC (umpire-in-chief) about it after the game and was told it was a ‘gray area.’  I stewed over it and talked with our district, then filed an official protest.  This was not a decision I made lightly, but I wanted true answers, not the ‘gray area’ answer.”

State officials requested clarification from national Little League officials in Williamsport, and, in all, it took nine and a half hours for Little League to respond.

“Well, we lost, but the response I finally got back didn’t even really match the issue, thus creating more questions,” Johnson said.

Players’ families were on standby in Coupeville during the long wait, ready to return to Vancouver if necessary, Johnson said.

“Win or lose, protest or not, the girls played great,” Johnson said. “They took the scenic route in districts (coming through the losers’ bracket) but held their own at state. They have been a fun team to coach and I couldn’t ask for a better group of parents.”

In the Northeast Seattle game, Coupeville came from seven runs down to take a 10-7 lead heading into the fifth inning. Northeast Seattle tallied two runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to retake the lead.

Central Whidbey received 21 walks, including 11 in a nine-run fourth inning.

Isabelle Wells collected Central Whidbey’s only hit in the game.