Camden Glover struck out 12 while pitching Tuesday and drove in both of Coupeville’s runs at the plate. (David Somes photo)
You can win the stat battle and still lose the game.
That cruel twist of fate was reinforced for the Coupeville High School baseball squad Tuesday, as the Wolves racked up more hits and less errors than visiting Orcas Island but still fell 4-2.
Despite a stellar effort on both the mound and at the plate from Camden Glover, one bad inning stung CHS as it dropped the first of two games with the Vikings.
Now 5-4 in Northwest 2B/1B League action, 6-9 overall, the Wolves get a chance at revenge Thursday, when they island-hop for the rematch.
Tuesday’s tilt, played under grey skies on the cool, breezy prairie, started in favor of Coupeville.
Steve Hilborn’s squad put together two of their four hits in the bottom of the first, with Landon Roberts and Carson Grove collecting back-to-back base knocks to kick things off.
Glover followed by crunching a sac fly to center field to plate Roberts and give the hometown nine the early advantage.
It didn’t hold up long, however.
Orcas only scored in one inning, but the Vikings did damage in the top of the second, plating all four of its runs.
A series of walks loaded the bases, only to have the Wolves cut down the lead runner on a play at the plate, firing up the local fans.
Then Orcas catcher Calder Jones struck, lashing a two-run double to left — one of only two hits the Vikings eked out against Glover.
Two more runs came around thanks to a couple of errors, before Coupeville slammed the door shut once again.
Glover was virtually lights out across the final five innings, racking up 12 strikeouts in the game, but the Wolf offense struggled to get back in the game.
CHS stranded its next three runners, before finally getting a run back in the bottom of the fifth.
Grove poked a two-out single, then zipped home when Glover crushed an RBI double, but the Wolves ran themselves out of the inning when a would-be steal came up empty.
One last chance came in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to Orcas and its hands of stone.
The Vikings botched grounders by Leo Rodriguez and Glover to bring the potential winning run to the plate but escaped thanks to a pressure-packed final strikeout.
Jesus Madrigal (22) and Landon Roberts (6) will be honored on Senior Night May 8. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Coupeville now hits the road for three straight, traveling to Orcas (May 1), South Whidbey (May 3), and Mount Vernon Christian (May 6), before wrapping the regular season at home May 8 against MVC.
Tuesday stats:
Coop Cooper — Two walks
Camden Glover — One double
Carson Grove — Two singles
Landon Roberts — One single
Coupeville Sports 