“It’s a good day for a win!” (Morgan White photo)
It was a statement win for the small school.
Hitting the road Saturday, the Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad smacked host North Mason 8-3, winning a battle of 2B vs. 2A institutions.
The non-conference victory lifts the Wolves to 2-1 on the season, with two home games on the schedule for next week.
First up is their Northwest 2B/1B League opener Tuesday, with La Conner making the trip to Whidbey Island.
Saturday it was Coupeville’s turn to listen to the wheels on the bus go round and round (and round some more) as it traveled 70+ miles one way down the backroads of America.
Once they were in North Mason, the Wolves took a couple of innings to get the bats warmed up, then seized control of the game.
Trailing 1-0 entering the top of the third inning, with just a handful of walks to its credit, CHS had also had two different baserunners thrown out while trying to steal a bag.
No worries, however.
Freshman Aiden O’Neill kicked things off with a one-out walk, before Scott Hilborn and Chase Anderson smacked back-to-back singles to juice the bags.
Presented with their best scoring opportunity up to that point, the Wolves responded, pushing three runners across the plate.
A sac fly off the bat of Peyton Caveness and an RBI single from Jonathan Valenzuela were the big blows, and Coupeville had a lead it would never relinquish.
The Wolves and Bulldogs each scored a run in their half of the fifth inning, keeping things close at 4-2, with Caveness whipping an RBI single to left field for CHS.
Not content to creep along, Coupeville exploded for four more runs in the top of the sixth, making life easier on starting pitcher Scott Hilborn.
Camden Glover eked out a leadoff walk while pinch-hitting, followed by an O’Neill single, then the Wolves got some help from the umps, who advanced both runners on a defensive interference ruling.
Hilborn immediately followed up by smashing a ball off the shortstop’s glove, plating both of his younger teammates, and the fun was underway.
A walk to Valenzuela put two runners aboard, with Cole White driving a two-run single to straightaway center to make it 8-2.
That smash pushed the Wolves out far enough in front that coach Steve Hilborn experimented with his lineup after that, giving Jaje Drake and Yohannon Sandles their first at-bats of the season.
Scott Hilborn, who whiffed four Bulldogs on the afternoon, got nicked for a run in the bottom half of the sixth and departed with two outs, turning things over to Anderson.
“The Magic Man” came in and slammed the door on North Mason, ending the inning with a strikeout, before sailing through the seventh.
Anderson retired four of the six batters he faced, with two going down on strikes and two meekly chopping balls to Hilborn at short.
Scott Hilborn is a vacuum on defense. (Morgan White photo)
Coupeville finished with seven hits and 11 walks, with Scott Hilborn collecting two of each, including a resounding double.
Anderson, Caveness, Valenzuela, White, and O’Neill also had base knocks, with Valenzuela walking three times, and Glover and Coop Cooper getting aboard twice thanks to free passes.
Jack Porter, Landon Roberts, and Johnny Porter all played strong defensive games for the Wolves, who got game time for 13 players in the win.
Coupeville Sports 