Coupeville Sports

Coop Cooper, seen last season, delivered a strong pitching performance Thursday, whiffing 10 on Friday Harbor. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The offensive struggles continue.

Blanked for the fourth time in five games, a largely inexperienced Coupeville High School baseball team fell 3-0 at Friday Harbor Thursday afternoon.

The Wolves, who are learning on the job, fall to 0-2 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 0-5 overall heading into a home non-conference game Saturday against South Whidbey, which sits at 1-3.

There were definite bright spots for Coupeville Thursday.

The three runs surrendered were the fewest by far this season, the Wolves committed a season-low one error, and starting pitcher Coop Cooper whiffed 10 batters in 4+ innings of work.

But the Wolves also went down 1-2-3 in six of seven innings, striking out 16 times against Friday Harbor sophomore hurler Jackson Feliz.

The only frame in which CHS put a runner on base was the top of the fourth, and it was a prime opportunity which didn’t come to total fruition.

With Feliz buzzing through a perfect game, the Wolves suddenly loaded the bases with no outs.

Landon Roberts ripped a liner to right field, Carson Grove got plunked by a wayward pitch, and Camden Glover dropped a bunt single down the third-base line.

For a team which has been outscored 50-3 this season, the chance to bust through was tantalizingly close.

Then the door slammed shut, with Feliz picking up another K, before inducing a double-play ground ball to end the rally.

Friday Harbor, which only had three hits on the day, had just enough offense of its own to salt away the win and claim a sweep of the two-game series between island rivals.

The Wolverines pushed a run across in the third, thanks to a walk, a single, and a wild pitch, before adding insurance tallies in the fifth and sixth.