Wolf seniors (l to r) Kurtis Smith, Wade Schaef, Jake Tumblin, Ben Etzell and Morgan Payne, with coach Willie Smith. (Shelli Trumbull photos)
“You’re never gonna beat me, Tumblin. I am lightning unleashed!!”
Everyone in a Coupeville baseball uniform made an impression.
All four Wolf seniors playing in the 1A/2B/1B All-State feeder games in Bellingham Monday had big moments, topped by Ben Etzell claiming the Al Evans Award and being nominated for the All-State series.
Etzell, who was joined on the 10-man nomination list by South Whidbey’s Colton Sterba and Nick Bennett, got the win on the mound in game two.
His Nationals squad won 3-0 after being nipped 3-2 in the opener by a squad of Whatcom County’s best.
Etzell will learn in the next week if he’s been selected to head to Yakima for the June 14-15 series, which brings together players from all of Washington state’s classifications.
“It’s based loosely on this game, but more on his season stats, so he should have a pretty strong case,” said Coupeville coach Willie Smith.
Smith, who coached the Nationals team along with his CHS assistants, had his moment in the sun, as well.
“I beat (assistant coach) Chris Tumblin in a race to get a ball, which is not surprising since I am a superior athlete and quick as a cat,” Smith said with a laugh. “He tried to exploit his lower proximity to the ground but it was all for naught!
“The games were pretty good as well!”
In addition to Etzell, who tossed three shutout innings, “hit the ball well, and was a vacuum at third base,” fellow Wolf seniors Jake Tumblin, Wade Schaef and Kurtis Smith all stepped up big time.
The fifth Wolf senior, Morgan Payne, was sidelined by his recovery from a broken hand.
Tumblin, normally a catcher, also saw action at second base and “was pretty darn good making all his plays hit to him, including a great over the shoulder running catch in short center.”
He also smacked a pair of hits, while Kurtis Smith “threw a runner out at second base by about ten feet who had foolishly tried to run on him” and Schaef “made probably the play of the two games when he went on a full sprint into the left center gap and dove to snare a for sure double.”
“Overall, the boys represented themselves and the Wolves very well and got quite a few compliments from the director of the game on how solid they were,” said a proud Willie Smith. “It was a great day and a lot of fun.”
Coupeville Sports 