Hawthorne Wolfe and Coupeville won Friday, keeping alive their hopes of claiming a league title. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
The stage is set.
The Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad took care of business Friday, nipping host Mount Vernon Christian 4-3 to remain a half-game out of first place in the Northwest 2B/1B League.
Now 8-1 in conference action, 10-5 overall, the Wolves host defending NWL champs, and current frontrunner, Friday Harbor (8-0, 11-1) Tuesday, Apr. 26.
The first time the hardball teams met, Coupeville fell 3-2 to the Wolverines.
After Tuesday’s battle royal, CHS has league games remaining with Orcas Island (4-3) and Darrington (1-6), while Friday Harbor plays Concrete (0-6), La Conner (1-7), and Orcas.
A win Tuesday is crucial for Coupeville, as only one of the league’s three 2B schools advances to the playoffs, with that squad going straight to the 16-team state tourney.
La Conner is already eliminated, leaving Friday Harbor and CHS to vie for the league crown, and the postseason berth.
With that in mind, Friday’s rumble in Mount Vernon was huge for the Wolves, and they stepped up big time.
“An amazing game; was fun to be part of,” said Coupeville coach Will Thayer. “Hawk (Wolfe) and Cody (Roberts) pitched a hell of a game.”
The Wolves jumped on MVC for three runs in the top of the first, raising hopes that the game might be a blow-out.
Wolfe led off the game with a walk, scampered to second on a stolen base, then careened home on the first of two doubles Scott Hilborn would blast on the day.
Scott Hilborn is a force at the plate and on the basepaths.
The hit parade continued with Xavier Murdy drilling an RBI single to right field, before the wily senior came around to score himself thanks to smart base-running and an MVC wild pitch.
But while Coupeville pitcher Cody Roberts was stifling the Hurricanes, his own team’s bats suddenly went to sleep after the opening rally.
Following Murdy’s base-knock, MVC retired 11 straight Wolves, preventing Coupeville from adding to its lead.
CHS didn’t get another base runner on until Sage Sharp was plunked by a wayward pitch leading off the top of the fifth.
Unfortunately though, both he and teammate Cole White, who singled in that frame, were stranded.
The hosts made things dicey with their own three-run surge in the bottom of the fifth, using a couple of key hits to tie the game up and tighten Coupeville collars.
Or so it might have seemed.
The reality was Hilborn was primed to save the day, bopping his second two-bagger in the sixth inning, then scoring the go-ahead run when Peyton Caveness reached on an error.
Given the lead back, Coupeville turned to its version of Mariano Rivera — one Hawthorne Wolfe, Esq. — and he sealed the win with a strong relief appearance.
MVC had the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the seventh and final inning, but Wolfe induced the game’s final two outs, then strolled back to the bus, ready for Tuesday’s titanic tussle.
Coupeville finished with six hits Friday, getting solid bat work from Hilborn (two doubles), Cole White (1B), Wolfe (1B), Murdy (1B), and Sharp (1B).
Roberts and Wolfe combined to limit to MVC to just four base-knocks while striking out five Hurricanes.
Coupeville Sports 