Clay Reilly swings away Saturday. (John Fisken photo)
Some losses don’t sting as much as others.
While the Coupeville High School baseball squad was tripped up by one bad inning Saturday and fell 5-3 to visiting Friday Harbor, Wolf coach Willie Smith was fairly OK with the result.
“As losses go, this was one that really doesn’t affect us mentally and a lot of young kids got to step up and played very well for us,” said the seasoned hardball guru.
With a battle for first place in the 1A Olympic League looming Tuesday, when the Wolves (6-5 overall, 2-0 in league) travel to Klahowya (10-0, 1-0), Saturday’s non-conference tilt was more about staying (or getting) healthy and giving the young guns some playing time.
Senior hurler Aaron Curtin was lights-out, as he has been all season, shutting Friday Harbor down for the first four innings.
He struck out seven and surrendered just two hits, but then gave way to his relievers to stay primed for Klahowya.
With the change in pitchers, Coupeville’s fate veered in a new, walk-strewn direction.
Aaron Trumbull walked four of the seven batters he faced, including twice walking in runs, and his defense fell apart behind him, booting a pair of ground balls, allowing Friday Harbor to put together a five-run rally in the fifth.
That erased a solid start for the Wolves, who had jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
Coupeville struck for two in the first, with Josh Bayne (single) and Curtin (fielders choice) coming around when a Friday Harbor outfielder misplayed Trumbull’s fly ball to left.
The Wolves tacked on another run in the third when Curtin got to trot home for free after a balk.
Several other offensive chances were snuffed out by solid Friday Harbor glove work.
Hunter Smith was robbed of a double when the center fielder made a diving catch of his line drive.
Later, Gabe Wynn, who had singled for his first varsity hit, was doubled up at first after Joey Lippo’s liner down the baseline at third was miraculously snagged.
With the freshmen fully in control of the lineup in the latter innings, Coupeville kept it close and showed the promise of a bright future.
Hunter Smith replaced Trumbull on the mound in the sixth and retired all six batters he faced, whiffing two.
He also teamed up with Lippo on a bang-bang play in the field that brought a smile to their coach’s face.
A hot grounder into the second base hole seemed on its way to the outfield, but Lippo ran it down, pivoted and made the throw to his pitcher, who was covering the bag at first with Trumbull having been pulled away by the grounder.
“Just like we practice!,” said Willie Smith.
Coupeville had one last shot at a rally in the bottom of the seventh. CJ Smith eked out a one-out walk and Curtin smoked a shot to deep right.
Unfortunately, his moon ball dropped right into a waiting outfielder’s glove to end the game.
While he would have gladly accepted a victory, Willie Smith was impressed with what he got from the young end of his bench.
“Some really great stuff from our young guys: Cameron Toomey-Stout started in left, Julian Welling at third, Joey played well in the field and swung it well, and Hunter debuted on the mound and gave us another strong pitching option.
“One bad inning does us in and is a good reminder that it only takes one inning in this game,” he added. “But I feel real confident and relaxed heading into the Klahowya game.”
