Melissa Otto made her varsity debut Saturday, as the Wolves rolled to an 11-1 win. (John Fisken photo)
The Team of Destiny rolls on.
After roaring from behind in almost every game this season, the Coupeville High School softball squad decided to play from in front Saturday.
Raining down runs from the first pitch, the Wolves jumped on host Friday Harbor quickly and never let up, cruising to an 11-1 non-conference win in a game called after five innings.
The victory, the fourth straight for Coupeville, lifts it to 5-1, the best start by a Wolf softball squad in more than a decade.
CHS will have a strong shot at keeping its early season success going, hosting Port Townsend (0-3) Thursday in the 1A Olympic League opener for both teams.
The RedHawks will enter that rumble carrying a 25-game losing streak that stretches back to April 28, 2014.
Coupeville, by stark contrast, has come alive under a new coaching staff, with its young roster runnin’ and gunnin’ teams to distraction.
Facing off with a Friday Harbor team that was coming off a one-run win over Concrete in its opener, the Wolves were ruthless.
Using five walks and booming doubles off of the bats of Katrina McGranahan and Sarah Wright, Coupeville exploded for six runs in the first inning.
The ability to eke out base on balls was a particular strength for the patient Wolf hitters.
“Walks were the theme today, as the opposing pitchers had a tough time finding the strike zone all day,” said Coupeville coach Kevin McGranahan.
CHS continued to attack in the early going, tacking on three runs in the second (three walks and a timely hit from lead-off ace Lauren Rose), one more in the third and a final run in the fourth.
While the offense was clicking, the pitching and defense were just as on-target.
Wolf hurler Katrina McGranahan “pitched great all day and even unleashed a new pitch and had great success,” while Wright nailed two runners trying to steal second with strong throws from behind the plate.
“After that they stopped trying,” Kevin McGranahan said with a laugh.
The Wolf defense was solid all-around, with Mikayla Elfrank recording her second unassisted double play of the young season, going to her left to snag a screaming liner.
Pivoting quickly, the sophomore shortstop stamped on second for one out, then nailed the runner headed to first with a laser throw.
Jae LeVine also put her name in the battle for best defensive play of the afternoon, shooting from her spot at second to run down a ball behind first base.
Having corralled it, she flipped it to Kailey Kellner, who was covering the bag, for an out that brought a smile to her coach’s face.
“The defense was awesome today,” Kevin McGranahan said.
“Another team win and the girls all played as a team and are gelling faster than we expected,” he added. “I can’t be more proud of all of these girls; some of them are doing things for the team and I have not had anyone hang their head, they just keep going.”
