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Posts Tagged ‘CJ Smith’

Top of the league!!

Posted in Baseball, tagged 1A Olympic League, baseball, CHS Wolves, CJ Smith, Matt Hilborn on March 31, 2016| Leave a Comment »

With a 9-0 win over Port Townsend Thursday, Joey Lippo and Coupeville are in first place in the 1A Olympic League. (John Fisken photo)

This is how you break a losing streak.

Hot bats. A torrid pitching performance. Contributions from the top of the lineup to the bottom.

Riding a 13-strikeout complete-game performance from senior hurler CJ Smith, the Coupeville High School baseball squad rediscovered its winning ways Thursday afternoon.

Playing under a blazing sun on the prairie, the Wolves routed visiting Port Townsend 9-0 to snap a four-game skid and claim, at least for the moment, sole possession of first place in the 1A Olympic League.

Coupeville is 3-5 overall, 1-0 in league play and will have three non-league games (all on the road) before they face off with another league foe.

That won’t be until Apr. 14, when the Wolves travel to Chimacum.

Up first are con-conference games at South Whidbey, La Conner and Blaine, with the all-Island showdown coming Saturday in Langley.

JV kicks off a doubleheader at 10, with varsity set for noon.

Facing off with the RedHawks Thursday, Coupeville came out guns blazing.

CJ Smith retired the side in order in four of seven innings, scattering just a pair of hits while getting almost two-thirds of his outs via the punch-out.

The Wolves broke the game open in the bottom of the third, sending their first four hitters in the inning (Matt Hilborn, Hunter Smith, CJ Smith and Cole Payne) across the plate.

The first two scored on Port Townsend errors, while the latter two were knocked in by a blow from first baseman Kory Score.

CHS added three in the fifth and another two in the sixth — Hilborn, Cameron Toomey-Stout and Nick Etzell all chipped in with RBIs — getting something from everyone in a shuffled lineup.

“Everybody had great at-bats,” said Coupeville coach Marc Aparicio. “We switched it up and slid some guys in off the bench and were able to get some different looks.

“Port Townsend is a very solid team, but we really got a lot out of the bottom of our lineup today.”

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Someone wake up the bats!!

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, CJ Smith, double plays, Friday Harbor, losing streak on March 26, 2016| Leave a Comment »

CJ Smith, here making a thrown in an earlier game, whiffed nine on the hill Saturday. (John Fisken photo)

CJ Smith, here making a throw in an earlier game, whiffed nine on the hill Saturday. (John Fisken photo)

They had their chances.

Looking to snap out of a recent offensive funk, the Coupeville High School baseball squad put runners on base Saturday.

Unfortunately, that’s where they left most of them, victim to double plays and stranded runner syndrome.

Unable to muster an offense to match pitcher CJ Smith’s performance on the mound, the Wolves fell 3-1 in a non-conference game at Friday Harbor.

After scoring 27 runs in its first three games, Coupeville has now been stuck on a single run for three straight contests.

Not surprisingly, the Wolves have lost all three of the low-scoring affairs, falling to 2-4 on the season.

They’ll get three chances to fix things next week, when they travel to Lynden Christian Tuesday, host Port Townsend Thursday and skip down the Island to visit South Whidbey Saturday, Apr. 2.

The middle match-up will be the 1A Olympic League opener for both the Wolves and RedHawks (0-4).

Facing off with the host Wolverines (3-0), Coupeville got stellar work from Smith.

The senior hurler whiffed nine batters while tossing a complete game.

“CJ pitched a great game,” said CHS coach Marc Aparicio. “Unfortunately we just couldn’t make the runs work this game.

“We were caught in three double plays and left runners on in scoring position three times. One time with bases loaded,” he added. “Friday Harbor played a good game. Not much more to say.”

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Everything was clicking!!

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, CJ Smith, Concrete, shutout on March 18, 2016| Leave a Comment »

CJ Smith tossed a complete-game shutout Friday, as Coupeville rolled 9-0 at Concrete. (John Fisken photo)

This one was over quickly.

After playing one-run affairs in both of its first two games this season, the Coupeville High School baseball squad strolled through Friday’s game at Concrete.

Scoring in six of the seven innings played, the Wolves pounded their very accommodating hosts 9-0 to sweep a home-and-away series with the Lions.

Now 2-1 on the young season, Coupeville returns home to face Cedarcrest Monday and Sequim Tuesday, as they play four of their first five games on the prairie.

Making the drive off-Island didn’t seem to hurt the Wolves on the field or in their ability to draw fans, as a fairly large collection of Coupeville supporters showed up to watch the diamond men work.

Before all the traveling fans had even settled in, CHS put the game away, taking just three batters to score all the runs they would need on this day.

Hunter Smith led off, lashing a single to left, then came around to score on an RBI single to center from older brother CJ.

The elder Smith soon scampered around the base-paths himself, propelled by Cole Payne, who kept a recent hot streak alive by crunching an RBI double to deep right field that landed in the shadow of the snow-capped mountains.

While the initial assault quickly sputtered out, with a double play off of a fly-out by Dane Lucero (Payne was thrown out trying to advance to third) blunting the attack, it would be all CJ Smith would need.

The senior hurler went the distance on the mound and was untouchable most of the afternoon.

He retired the side in order in four of the seven innings, and gave up just a single base runner in two of the other three frames.

The only time Concrete was able to get anything going was in the bottom of the sixth, but CJ Smith never broke a sweat getting out of the mini-jam.

Bearing down, the unflappable righty got a Lion to pop out to Lucero at first, stranding multiple base runners and earning a fist pump from dad Chris Smith, who was pacing on the edge of the dugout.

Coupeville kept picking away at Concrete’s pitching staff, adding a single run in the the third, fourth and fifth, before dropping three in the sixth and another solo run in the seventh.

Lucero, Hunter Smith and Cameron Toomey-Stout knocked in runs to stretch the lead to 5-0, then the Wolves put together their best sustained rally in the top of the sixth.

Payne ripped a one-out single, Lucero smacked an RBI double, Gabe Wynn sent a screamer over the third baseman’s head for another RBI double and Brenden Gilbert eked out a bases-loaded walk and the rout was on.

Not content to stop with eight, Coupeville saved its most thrilling journey across home plate for the final inning.

With Payne perched on third, after another double and a wild pitch, Joey Lippo laced a grounder to the Lion first baseman for the inning’s second out.

The crafty senior crept down the line, then exploded at the last second, sliding under the frantic tag as Concrete’s catcher juggled the throw while trying to slap the ball on Payne’s leg.

Popping up to a roar from his own personal cheering section, Cole was all smiles, a familiar sight among Wolf players and fans on this afternoon.

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Wolf baseball swings into a new era!!

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, CJ Smith, Hunter Smith, Marc Aparicio, Spring Sports Preview on March 3, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Sophomore Hunter Smith, seen here tracking a ball down last season, will help anchor a young Wolf roster. (John Fisken photos)

Senior Cole Payne can play multiple positions for the Wolves.

It’s a whole new ballgame.

Top to bottom, Coupeville High School baseball is in the middle of change as a new season approaches.

CHS grad Marc Aparicio has returned to his alma mater to take the reigns of the program, replacing hardball guru Willie Smith, who retired after 19 years at the helm.

As he heads into his first campaign, Aparicio is approaching things with an open mind, essentially viewing all of his players the same on day one.

“We have quite a few returning players and new freshman that have been playing baseball together for quite a while,” he said. “As a new coach, I’m going to evaluate every player, despite their past, and see where they best fit into our program.”

While Aparicio didn’t go into specifics with who might play where, it would be easy to assume that he’ll end up relying on his returning lettermen to anchor the squad.

There are five of those guys (Coupeville lost another five to graduation), led by seniors CJ Smith and Cole Payne.

Juniors Gabe Wynn and Clay Reilly and sophomore Hunter Smith join them, while, among the non letter winners, sophomores Julian Welling and Joey Lippo saw the most varsity playing time a year ago.

Whomever ends up on the field, and at whatever positions, Aparicio wants them to aim high.

“Our goal this season, as with any season, is to win the state championship,” he said. “To compete at state, it starts at day one – acting, practicing, playing and believing that we will meet our goal.”

The new coach, who will get help from returning assistant coach Chris Smith, wants his players to focus on working as a team.

“The strength of our team will be our commitment and teammanship,” Aparicio said. “We will focus on three things, the physical, mental and fundamental aspects of the game of baseball.”

Coupeville went 9-10 overall, 5-4 in 1A Olympic League play a year ago.

It swept three from Port Townsend, took two of three from Chimacum but were swept by eventual league champ Klahowya.

The Wolves then ended the season with a heartbreaking 1-0 home playoff loss to Cascade Christian.

As the Wolves prepare for their second season in their four-team league, Aparicio isn’t singling any of Coupeville’s primary foes out as the team to beat.

Instead, he wants to take down every one, while remaining focused on each new opponent as they pop up on the schedule.

“One game at a time – every game and every opponent is equally important.”

To see the CHS baseball schedule, pop over to:

http://www.olympicleague.com/index.php?league=21&page_name=game_schedule&school=24&sport=6

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He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother!!

Posted in Football, tagged brothers, CHS Wolves, CJ Smith, football, Jake Lord, Josh Lord on September 17, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Top row: (l to r) Shane Losey, Josh Lord, Ty Eck, Hunter Smith. Bottom: Mitchell Losey, Jake Lord, Gabe Eck, CJ Smith. (Scott Losey photos)

They’re deeply impressed by the historical significance of the moment. Deeply…

Bloodlines run deep in Wolf Nation.

Especially when it comes to the CHS football squad.

There are currently four sets of brothers, including two pairs of twins, anchoring the gridiron team.

While there have been brothers who played at the same time before, and a lot of siblings who played several years apart, having four different pairs at one time is out of the ordinary.

Leading off are seniors Jake and Josh Lord, big, bruising linemen who are actually really easy-going dudes.

Up next, two pairs that combine an older sibling with his little bro.

Senior CJ Smith is joined by sophomore Hunter Smith, while senior Mitchell Losey looks across the field and sees freshman Shane Losey shadowing him.

And wrapping up the family affair is freshman twins Gabe and Ty Eck.

Gabe used to have long, curly hair, now it’s Ty’s turn for the flowing locks, but both are already starters for the Wolves as ninth graders.

Graduation in the spring of 2016 will break things up a bit, with four of the eight siblings set to depart.

But, that doesn’t mean the Ecks will be alone, as over the next two years they should be joined by new brother/brother units.

Cameron Toomey-Stout, already a speed demon for the Wolves, will be a junior next year, while Sean Toomey-Stout (who is a twin, but with sister Maya) will be hitting high school as a freshman.

And, if my calculations are correct, a third brother combo pops up in 2017, when Wolf QB Hunter Downes (currently a sophomore) could be joined by lil’ bro Sage, currently a 7th grader at Coupeville Middle School.

So, sometime between now and then, we just need to find a family with triplets — all preferably 6-foot-5, 300-pound linemen with 4.2 speed in the 40 — and we’re really set.

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