Capri Anter, here bunting, was more about crushing extra-base hits Thursday afternoon. (Bailey Thule photo)
You will know them by the trail of screaming softballs they leave behind.
The Coupeville High School diamond squad is comprised of hardy hitters, top of the order to bottom, with a pack of young women who enjoy blistering opposing pitchers.
That was on display once again Thursday, as the Wolves rapped out 20 base knocks, including seven extra-base hits, en route to clobbering visiting La Conner 29-0 in a game mercy-ruled after five torrid innings.
The victory lifts Aaron Lucero’s crew to a crisp 6-0 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 9-1 overall, with Concrete next up on the chopping block.
Thursday’s showdown was decided quickly, and with great emphasis.
Starting pitcher Adeline Maynes, who whiffed six across three innings of work, picked up two of those K’s wrapped around an infield popup she corralled with her own glove, and then the Wolf offense unleashed.
Taylor Brotemarkle got drilled by a pitch to open Coupeville’s half of the frame, sending the feisty shortstop hoppin’ around and (possibly) thinking about charging the pitcher’s circle.
But before any cheeky writers could start a chant of “fight! fight! fight!!” Brotemarkle ambled down to first base, then promptly tore around the basepaths, coming in to score two batters later on a wild pitch.
Coupeville slapped five runs on the board in the first, with Teagan Calkins cranking a double to deep left, while Madison McMillan and Maynes pasted singles back up the middle.
The opening frame was just a taste of the havoc to come, however, as the Wolves added 11 runs in the second and nine more in the third, before coasting in with a four-spot in their final at-bats in the bottom of the fourth.
Aggressive baserunning fueled the run explosion, with the Wolves taking extra bags in the blink of an eye and keeping the Braves jumpy and frustrated all day.
“Sun’s out, guns out, and runs for everyone!!” (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Put a pitch anywhere near the plate and Coupeville’s sluggers promptly sent the ball screaming off to explore the wild blue yonder.
Mia Farris crunched a long triple, then scooted home when the throw back in went wide, while running mate Jada Heaton lashed an absolute laser down the left field line for a two-run double.
Not to be outdone, Brotemarkle, making sure not to get drilled by any more wayward pitches, blistered the ball for a pair of three-baggers, while Capri Anter came within a step of hitting an inside-the-park home run.
The sophomore pitcher, who came on in relief of Maynes, walloped a ball to straight away center field and had a sure-thing triple.
Running under a full head of steam, it was going to take a great throw to nail Anter at the plate, and give La Conner credit, the Braves absolutely nailed the heave, with their catcher slapping the tag.
Even the hits that weren’t official hits were impressive, as young gun Emma Cushman, who reached base thanks to a dropped third strike, nailed a screamer down the first-base line which banked foul at the very last second.
Not to be lost in all the offensive shenanigans, Coupeville’s Ava Lucero, having moved from first base to catcher midway through the game, delivered her own sensational defensive play.
Popping up from behind the plate, she delivered a note-perfect pick-off throw that caught a straying La Conner runner off of third, the ball popping right into McMillan’s glove and earning a roar of applause from the Wolf bench.
Thursday stats:
Capri Anter — One triple
Taylor Brotemarkle — One single, two triples, one walk
Teagan Calkins — Three singles, one double
Mia Farris — One triple, one walk
Jada Heaton — One single, one double
Ava Lucero — One double, two walks
Olivia Martin — One walk
Adeline Maynes — One single
Chloe Marzocca — Two singles
Madison McMillan — Three singles, one walk
Danica Strong — One single, one walk
Sydney Van Dyke — One single
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