The Coupeville baseball team struggled at the plate and in the field, resulting in a 4-1 loss to visiting Granite Falls Tuesday, April 6.

The Tigers’ Max Whitt pitched a three-hitter and struck out 10 to silence the Coupeville offense.

Granite Falls (3-6, 3-7) scored single runs in the third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings, and a key defensive breakdown was at the heart of each tally.

The Wolves rapped two of their three hits (singles by J.D. Wilcox and Kevin Eaton) in the fourth inning but were unable to punch across a run.

The Wolves’ lone run came in the sixth. Ian Smith reached on an error, then was forced at second on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Wilcox. Granite Falls’ shortstop Mitch Patterson made a beautiful diving stop to rob Wilcox of a base hit. Later, Wilcox moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored on an overthrow at first on Chad Brookhouse’s infield single.

The game was a makeup contest after the two teams were rained out Friday, April 2.

Granite Falls took two in the three-game series. The Wolf Pack won big in the opener, 16-3, then the Tigers bounced back to win the second game 7-6.

Coupeville coach Willie Smith acknowledged Whitt’s dominating performance Tuesday, then added, “The second game is the one we should have won.”

Coupeville (1-5, 3-5) plays a double header at Sultan (2-7) Thursday, April 8, then hosts South Whidbey (3-4, 5-4) Monday, April 12, at 4 p.m.