Coupeville Sports

Seniors Bessie Walstad (left) and Maria Rockwell delivered huge two-run doubles Friday. (John Fisken photo)

They survived day one.

After taking a tough 2-0 loss to Lynden Christian in a pitcher’s duel Friday in a 1A District 1 playoff game at Janicki Fields in Sedro Woolley, the Coupeville High School softball squad pulled off a stunner in its second game to keep its postseason hopes alive.

Trailing 4-0 to Meridian in a loser-out game, the Wolves erupted for five runs in the fifth inning, then held on for a 5-4 victory.

The runs came on a five-hit explosion, with three of the hits being doubles.

Now 6-15, Coupeville returns to Sedro Woolley Saturday for a loser-out game at 12 PM against Blaine.

Win that and they’re in the 3rd/4th place game at 2 PM against the winner of South Whidbey and Lynden Christian and are guaranteed a trip to tri-districts.

With their season on the line, the Wolves got a huge lift from sophomore hurler McKayla Bailey. The game one starter, she came back to pull double duty after Meridian jumped on starter Maria Rockwell for all of its runs in the first inning.

With Bailey virtually untouchable, Coupeville finally found its offensive mojo again and backed her up with one big inning.

Haley Sherman kick-started things by reaching on an error, before Chevy Reyes cranked a short pop-up towards first base that drew three defenders before hitting the Meridian catcher and bouncing out of her grasp.

After a single from Madeline Roberts juiced the bags, Bessie Walstad cranked a ball that missed being a grand slam by five feet, driving in two runners and igniting the Wolf bench.

“The bench was outstanding and loud,” said Wolf coach David King. “When we were hitting, it was nonstop chatter!”

Before Meridian could recover, Coupeville blew the game open with another two-run double, this one from Rockwell, then an RBI double from Hailey Hammer.

“The excitement and confidence the team had in the fifth was something to see,” King said. “We play a tough team tomorrow, but if we keep that confidence up, I will take our team any day of the week against any team.”

The opening game was a classic pitcher’s duel, as Bailey matched Lynden Christian’s hurler almost pitch for pitch.

After gunning down the first nine hitters in order, Bailey ran into a sticky spot in the fourth, when two singles and an error loaded the bases with no outs. It turned out to be no problem, however, as her defense rose to the occasion.

Hammer snuffed back-to-back ground balls to third, nailing the lead runner at home on both plays. Then Sherman ran down a line drive to center to help Coupeville escape the inning unscathed.

Unfortunately, the Wolves just flat out weren’t getting anything to land where the defense wasn’t in their times at bat. Singles by Roberts and Walstad were all CHS generated, and both runners were left hanging.

Lynden Christian finally broke through with a run in the fifth, then added an insurance run in the seventh.