Hailey Hammer, prairie legend.
She may not be showing it here, but Jae LeVine has got some pop in her bat. (John Fisken photos)
Four years after I called her a “diaper dandy” — a moment her mom Donna will never let me forget — McKayla Bailey went out like a champ.
Hollywood came to Coupeville.
In a softball game that played out like a movie at the end, right down to the final fade-out, the Wolves pulled off a stunning 5-4 comeback win over visiting La Conner Tuesday.
The victory, punctuated by big plays, unexpected heroes and a final bow for the ages from the biggest name on the marquee, lifted Coupeville to 7-11 and gave it a jolt of adrenaline heading into the playoffs.
That postseason kicks off Friday in Tacoma with a loser-out game against Bellevue Christian.
Triumph there and they return to Sprinker Fields Saturday to face Chimacum in double-elimination play.
By the end of the day Saturday, two of six teams (three apiece from the Olympic and Nisqually Leagues) will be on their way to state.
If the Wolves flip a switch like they did over the last 20 minutes Tuesday, there’s no reason why they couldn’t be one of those Eastern Washington-bound squads.
Look at just the seventh inning and it’s a picture-perfect slice of life for CHS.
In the top of the inning, Hope Lodell made a sprinting catch in center field, then right fielder Robin Cedillo dropped the hammer on La Conner.
Snagging a fly ball, she pivoted and fired a laser to Monica Vidoni at first to double a straying Braves runner off the bag for an inning-ending double play.
Trailing 4-1, but suddenly buoyed by a jolt of electricity lit by the ever-bubbly Cedillo, the Wolves went to work.
Kailey Kellner led off her team’s final at-bats by shocking the world, and herself, smashing a liner to left.
There were two bags written on the hit, but Kellner, feet churning, turned it into three by sheer will power, sneaking under the tag at the last second.
After Cedillo got plunked and stole second, fab frosh Lauren Rose drilled an RBI single to cut the lead to two and ignite the Wolf faithful.
The din grew louder after Tiffany Briscoe lashed a frozen rope down the line in left for a single to load the bags, then softened a bit after a force at home and a pop-up to short pushed the Wolves to the limit.
At which point Hollywood took over for good.
Bases juiced, two outs, bottom of the final inning, and at the plate, in the final moments of a career that has produced 12 varsity letters in four years, Hailey Hammer.
Soft of voice and big of heart, the young woman who does not know what it is like to play in a JV game stared at the La Conner pitcher like a lioness about to devour its prey.
Or a Wolf.
Everyone on both sides knew how this had to end, the only way it could end, the way that would go down in Cow Town folklore.
Except you don’t always get the fairy tale ending.
But this time, you do.
Turning on the pitch with a cold fury, Hammer sliced the ball and drove it for the fence.
One swing, one sound — bat crushing the life out of the ball — then another sound, that of her family, friends, classmates and fans going bonkers.
One after another they flew across the plate, stamping it with their feet.
Rose. Briscoe. Katrina McGranahan.
And across the diamond at second base, her head partially lowered as the sun shone off her batting helmet, small smile starting to replace the stare o’ death on her face, Hammer stood alone for a moment.
The little sister who followed in the huge footsteps of Hunter, her six-foot-seven legend of a brother, had written the final line (maybe, there is still the playoffs…) in her own legendary career.
Hailey Hammer stood tall, as she has done at every step over the last four years, and got the fade-out she so richly deserved.
And then her team mobbed her and all heck broke loose.
“So proud of her. She delivered like a professional. Like a senior. Like someone of her caliber,” said giddy CHS coach Deanna Rafferty afterwards. “I can always count on her.”
The storybook ending capped what had been a tightly-contested game all the way.
A few errors had hurt the Wolves, but senior hurler McKayla Bailey, firing b-b’s while sister McKenzie went hoarse cheering her on from the dugout, kept La Conner from doing major damage, and, when her defense was on, they were inspired.
Mighty mite Jae LeVine made a dazzling dive at second on one play, then got the game’s second biggest roar when she smashed a shot to right in the fifth.
While the ball was run down in the gap, her sudden display of muscles got the joint jumping.
“I’m so excited for Jae,” Rafferty said. “Doesn’t make a difference they got an out. She cranked that thing.”
As her team celebrated, the first-year coach sighed deeply, huge smile creasing her face.
“Winning like this, they’re going to make me go gray. You could write a movie about these girls!”
Do you hear that, Hollywood?
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