Wolf catcher Cole Payne whacked two hits on Senior Night. (Sylvia Hurlburt photos)
Payne (left) is joined by fellow seniors CJ Smith (middle) and Brenden Gilbert during festivities.
This one may sting for awhile.
Having already clinched its first league title in 25 years, the Coupeville High School baseball squad had nothing to really prove Wednesday.
So, while they were nipped 4-3 by visiting Klahowya in their regular season finale, the loss alone doesn’t affect the Wolves playoff hopes.
What might, however, is the loss of sophomore lead-off hitter Hunter Smith, who was ejected in the fifth inning after the ump believed his strike zone was questioned.
If the ejection is upheld, it carries a one-game suspension with it, which means Smith would have to sit out Coupeville’s playoff opener May 10.
The Wolves, who finished the regular season 10-10 overall, 7-2 in 1A Olympic League play, are guaranteed at least two games at districts, could play three, and need two wins to advance to state.
To see the district bracket, pop over to: http://www.olympicleague.com/tournament.php?tournament_id=1906&sport=6
Klahowya, which had lost the first two meetings between the teams this season, jumped on Coupeville for three quick runs in the first, putting together four hits in the rally.
From that point on, Wolf hurler CJ Smith was in lock-down mode, holding the Eagles scoreless until the seventh.
Coupeville got a single in the first from Cole Payne, then walked the bases full in the second, but were hurt by strikeouts both times (they whiffed 13 times on the day) and failed to plate a run.
The Wolves finally broke through with two runs in the third.
CJ Smith and Payne, both celebrating Senior Night, stroked back-to-back singles to start the inning, before both coming around to score on Klahowya errors.
CHS knotted the game up at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth (Kory Score singled, stole second and eventually scored on a ground-out), but left two runners on.
The Eagles regained the lead in the top of the seventh, using back-to-back base knocks to get a runner to third before dumping a ball into the gap between second and first.
Wolf second baseman Joey Lippo had no chance to make a play at home, but managed to gun down the runner going to first for the second out.
Fans hoping for one final rally had their dreams crushed when the Wolves went down one-two-three in the bottom of the seventh.
The game was the final home appearance for Payne, CJ Smith and Brenden Gilbert, who made his first varsity start in left field.
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