Johnny Porter reached base three times Monday. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
“That’s the future of Coupeville baseball right there.”
Wolf JV diamond coach Jon Roberts, like the fans in the stands Monday, came away impressed with the pitching performance of 8th grader Carson Grove.
While the CHS bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, letting visiting South Whidbey slip away with a 6-3 win, the first five innings were a testament to the bright future of one of Coupeville’s youngest players.
With the Wolves playing their first JV game of the season, Grove, who has also seen time both on the mound and at second base for the high school varsity squad, proved to be the star attraction.
After giving up back-to-back infield singles to open the game, he held South Whidbey hitless, striking out five and exiting with a 2-1 lead.
The Falcons scratched out that lone run in the top of the first, but Grove emphatically ended things with a K and a groundout to shortstop Jack Farrell.
Coupeville had opportunities to knot the game up in both the first and second, but stranded runners.
Johnny Porter crunched a two-out double to right in the first, but couldn’t get past third, while two walks and a Farrell single went for naught in the second as South Whidbey gunned down a runner at third.
With Grove holding the visitors in check, Coupeville finally broke through, tying the game in the third, before going ahead in the fourth.
The first run was thanks to the nimble baserunning of Aiden O’Neill, who walked, stole two bags, then shot home on a passed ball to make it 1-1.
CHS claimed the lead at 2-1 in the fourth when Aidyn McDermott and Jayden Little stroked back-to-back base knocks, with the latter of those crashing down deep in left field.
Grove wrapped up his five innings of work by stranding two runners in the top of the fifth, ending his pitching performance with a crowd-pleasing strikeout.
South Whidbey broke through after his departure from the mound, scoring two in the sixth to retake the lead at 3-2, then pushing three across in the seventh after Coupeville retied the game.
Like O’Neill before him, Jack Porter provided run #3 for the Wolves thanks to a walk, two stolen bases and a mad dash to home when a pitch hit dirt and kicked away from the Falcon catcher.
Down to their final out, with no one aboard in the bottom of the seventh, Coupeville almost pulled off yet another comeback.
O’Neill eked out a free pass the hard way, followed by Grove and Johnny Porter being plunked to juice the bags.
The stage was set for a potential grand slam walk-off win, but it wasn’t to be.
South Whidbey went back to the bullpen and their fourth and final pitcher, freshman Ian Leon, ended the game with a strikeout as an already cold prairie turned downright dank and dark.
The two JV teams were originally slated to play again Wednesday, this time on the South end, but that was scratched at the last second due to transportation issues.
Monday stats:
Jack Farrell — One single
Carson Grove — One walk
Jayden Little — One single, two walks
Aidyn McDermott — One single, one walk
Aiden O’Neill — Two walks
Jack Porter — One walk
Johnny Porter — One double, two walks
Dylan Robinett — One walk
UPDATE 4/30:
Wednesday’s game is back on, but in Coupeville.
