Coupeville Sports

  Central Whidbey sluggers (l to r) Kyle Rockwell, Joey Lippo and Ty Eck hope for a quick rebound after a tough loss. (Joe Lippo photo)

Contributed by Joe Lippo.

Central Whidbey and Sedro-Woolley faced off in Sedro Woolley today in Game 7 of the District 11 All Stars tournament in a battle of the last two undefeated teams in the tournament.

Upon arriving, we were informed that South Skagit and South Whidbey had been eliminated from the tournament and that Anacortes and North Whidbey would be on the other field playing another elimination game.

Oak Harbor survived and will get a rematch with Coupeville Friday.

Up to this point, Sedro Woolley had not played a complete game, having ten-runned the last two teams they faced. The Coupeville boys had come back from a combined 12 runs to win their games.

Julian Welling started on the mound and lasted two innings, with the team giving up 10 runs. A Sedro Woolley player even hit a home run (solo), and the Central Whidbey team could not seem to get it together.

But wait… Doesn’t it seem like we have been here before?

Jake Pease replaced Welling, and it seemed like things started coming together as the Sedro Woolley bats suddenly were more or less silenced.

But it was not to be.

After the bottom of the second, only five runs were scored, 3 of them by the Central Whidbey squad. There were, however, some excellent moments throughout the game, despite the 12-3 loss:

Pease went yard for the first time in his career, smashing the stitches off the ball to deep right center for a solo homer.

Even though the score was 12-1 at this point, the whole team came out to meet him at home plate. Later, proud mom Pam Pease was presented with the actual ball by the tournament director.

Kyle Rockwell snared a line drive shot down the third base line that was traveling roughly the speed of a highly classified Area 51 spy plane. The crack of the bat and the smack of the ball hitting the pocket of Rockwell’s glove were no more than a half-second apart.

Bryce Payne made a fantastic running catch in center field, staring into the sun.

Joey Lippo knocked down another supersonic shot to third and fired to Shane Losey for the out at first base, with Losey making a great dig to snare the long throw.

Nick Etzell snared a bouncer on the backhand and flipped to Losey to end an inning.

If this squad could figure out a way to play the first two innings like they play the last four, they would have no trouble with any team in the league.

A word on the long ball: The number of kids on this team that are capable of sending baseballs into the seats (as it were) has climbed to an astronomical FIVE.

In addition to Pease, we have Rockwell, Lippo, Ty Eck and Welling that have hit one out.

That isn’t to say that there aren’t more coming. This author has seen Matt Hillborn, Etzell and Payne hit the fence on the fly, only inches from going out of the park. As these kids get bigger, there will only be more.

I foresee a very good Coupeville squad for the future!