Coupeville Sports

Ben Etzell gets nasty. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Ben Etzell is going back to Eastern Washington.

Two weeks after playing in the state tennis tourney, the recent Coupeville High School graduate is headed to Yakima this weekend for baseball, after being selected to play in the All-State baseball series.

The doubleheader, which draws the top players from every classification in Washington (1B, 2B, 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A), is set for June 14-15.

Etzell will play for the Adams team in the Saturday game (12 PM) at Yakima County Stadium.

He was one of two players to come out of his feeder games to get the call.

Overlake’s Matt Kaiser was also selected, while South Whidbey’s Colton Sterba and Nick Bennett made the first cut, but were denied an invite to Yakima.

They both were the ones that I would have chosen,” said CHS coach Willie Smith, who coached in the feeder games. “Both high quality players/kids.

“Great honor for Ben and a great way to cap off his high school career, very deserving and earned.”

Etzell, who will be attending Saint John’s University in Minnesota in the fall, will get a chance to play in front of college coaches.

Don Freeman of USA Baseball and Donnie Marbut of Washington State University will speak at a banquet for the players, while the head coaches from Gonzaga, Portland and Washington are also scheduled to be on hand.

During his senior year Etzell was lights-out on the mound and became the first Wolf in any sport to be named league MVP in the 1A/2A Cascade Conference.

He struck out 15 in one game, threw a no-hitter in another and helped carry Coupeville to its first state tourney appearance in six seasons.