A great first inning wasn’t enough for the visiting Coupeville fastpitch team as first-place Cedarcrest came from behind to defeat the Wolves 5-4 Friday, April 27.

Coupeville exploded from the gate with four first-inning runs, but from there the offense fizzled as the Red Wolves, the league leaders with a 10-1 record, steadily worked their way back into the game.

Cedarcrest scored two runs in the third and single runs in each of the final three innings.

The game had an odd finish. With one out and the score tied in the bottom of the seventh, Cedarcrest’s Taylor Turner tripled.

Coupeville coach David King said he chose to intentionally walk the next two batters to set up a force at the plate. According to the rule book, King said, the coach only needs to tell the umpire he wishes to put the hitter on. The umpire, however, refused King’s request and required the pitcher to throw four balls.

On the fourth pitch of the “intentional” walk, McKayla Bailey threw one within reach of the hitter who smacked a ground ball the plated the winning run.

Umpire decisions also played a role in Cedarcrest’s run in the sixth. A series of illegal pitches called on Bailey allowed the runner to move around the bases.

King said that it was the first time Bailey’s delivery has been considered illegal all season.

While the end was ugly, Coupeville did get off to a good start. Madeline Roberts began Coupeville’s four-run first with a single. Bailey reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt, then Ali Trumbull singled in one run. After a Hailey Hammer walk, Bessie Walstad drove in two runs, then Bree Messner singled in another.

From there Coupeville couldn’t push across any more runs although it had runners on each inning and finished with nine hits, six walks and only one strikeout.

Hammer led the offense with two hits.

Defensively, Coupeville committed no errors.

Coupeville (4-8, 5-9) hosts Lakewood (9-3, 10-3) at 4 p.m. Monday, April 30.