Tamika Nastali reached base twice Friday, including dropping a bunt for a single. (John Fisken photo)
They are getting close.
A still-young Coupeville High School softball squad has taken enormous strides this season while piling up wins at a rate not seen since the legendary 2002 Wolf sluggers, who finished 3rd at state.
They’ve taken down traditional powers like Lynden Christian, won twice against Klahowya and its two-time MVP pitcher and bashed home runs like never before.
Now, the next step is to get over the hump and dethrone two-time defending Olympic League champ Chimacum.
And they are getting close. So close.
The Cowboys, to their credit, played virtually error-free ball on their home diamond Friday, holding on to nip the Wolves 7-4 in a battle for sole possession of first place.
The loss snaps a six-game winning streak for Coupeville and drops it to 4-2 in league play, 13-2 overall.
Chimacum (5-1, 7-3) sits a game up with three league games left, and owns the tiebreaker, having taken the first two meetings this season.
But the Wolves, who started seven underclassmen Friday, including freshman third-baseman Scout Smith, who filled in for an ill Mikayla Elfrank, still have a shot at a league title.
They’ll need to complete a season sweep of Klahowya with a win at home Monday, then hope the Eagles can help them out by stunning Chimacum a second time.
Both front runners also have a game remaining against Port Townsend, which has lost 48 straight games.
If Coupeville tacks on two wins, and the Cowboys split, the two schools would be sitting at 6-2 and play for the title when they close league play May 8 back at Chimacum.
Friday afternoon the Wolves were one hit away from taking control of the game, more than once.
But, despite rapping out nine hits, led by three base-knocks from sluggin’ sophomore first-baseman Veronica Crownover, Coupeville died a slow, agonizing death on the base-paths.
The Wolves stranded nine base runners, with five of them sitting at third when the final out came.
Meanwhile, Chimacum used well-placed hits (and six Wolf errors) to slowly build up a lead it never relinquished.
One run in the first, two in the third and another in the fourth staked the Cowboys to a 4-0 lead entering the fifth inning.
During that time Coupeville failed to capitalize on two prime opportunities, leaving runners sitting at second and third in the second, then stranding a runner at third the next inning.
That one hurt maybe a little more, as the stranded runner, Tamika Nastali, had landed on the bag with just one out.
Beating out a bunt, she went to second on a passed ball, took third on a fielder’s choice, then had nowhere left to go as a strikeout and a pop-up ended things too soon.
Coupeville finally broke through in the top of the fifth, and it was a bit unexpected.
With two outs and no one on base, Nastali struck again, eking out a walk to light the fuse.
Lauren Rose followed with a single to center, Jae LeVine walked, then Katrina McGranahan smashed a long blast to right field.
Having their one spotty moment on defense, the Cowboys saw two of their outfielders nearly collide, with one letting the hard-hit ball glance off her glove as three Wolves churned for home.
But, with a chance to tie or take the lead, Coupeville couldn’t keep the rally going, as Sarah Wright’s shot to deep center was snagged.
Chimacum, a veteran squad led by twin senior sisters Shanya and Mechelle Nisbet, didn’t flinch, tacking on two runs in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the lead to 6-3.
Then, senior Cowboy hurler Holly Snider escaped her biggest moment of danger, even while taking a piece of dirt in the eye.
Singles from Crownover and Hope Lodell and a walk to Tiffany Briscoe juiced the bags with one out in the sixth, but again … that one big hit was not to be found.
Coupeville’s final shot in the seventh had its moments, including singles from McGranahan, Smith and Crownover to plate a run.
But with runners at first and third and the tying run at the plate, Snider escaped one final time, inducing a game-ending ground-out.
While the loss stung, the Wolves, even without Elfrank, played much better than in the team’s first meeting, when they fell 15-4.
Smith made a superb snag and throw at third, while Wright, working behind the plate, gunned down a runner trying to take an extra bag.
“We played them better than the score dictates,” said CHS coach Kevin McGranahan. “Gonna be a battle to the end this year, I hope.
“The girls are in good spirits and ready to go for Monday.”
