Wolves surprise Eagles | Baseball

The Coupeville High School baseball team solidified its hold on first place and made a little history when it shocked visiting Klahowya 2-0 Tuesday, April 19.

The Coupeville High School baseball team solidified its hold on first place and made a little history when it shocked visiting Klahowya 2-0 Tuesday, April 19.

The loss was the first for the Eagles since the revamping of the Olympic League two years ago. Klahowya won all nine conference games last spring and one this year before being up-ended by upstart Wolves Tuesday.

Klahowya came to Central Whidbey with a 1-0 league record and 10-2 overall. The win boosted Coupeville’s Olympic League mark to 3-0 and 6-7 overall.

The Wolves received an excellent pitching performance by CJ Smith and produced just enough offense to stun the Eagles.

Smith pitched a five-hit shutout against a team that was averaging over seven runs a game. The Eagles put runners on in every inning but the first and stranded nine.

Smith and his defense, which made five errors, made the plays when they counted most and escaped each jam.

Smith struck out three and walked one.

While Smith was blanking the Eagles, the Coupeville offense struggled just to get a base runner.

Matt Hilborn singled in the third inning and was the lone Wolf to reach base over the first five innings. Coupeville had nine strikeout during the span.

In the sixth, Hilborn reached on an infield single and was bunted all the way to third by Hunter Smith. CJ Smith helped his own cause by singling in Hilborn.

Cole Payne followed with a single, then the two runners moved up on a double steal on Julian Welling’s fake bunt. Welling then singled in CJ Smith.

“Fun game,” coach Marc Aparicio said, “but stressful.”

Coupeville plays Port Townsend (0-2, 0-9) at home at 4 p.m. Thursday.

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Top: Hunter Smith’s bunt helps set up Coupeville’s first run. Below: Clay Reilly looks in a fiy ball. Photos by John Fisken.

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