Freshman Veronica Crownover had three hits and two RBI against the #1 team in 1A Tuesday. (John Fisken photo)
Not all losses are equal.
Returning from an 11-day layoff, the streaking Coupeville High School softball squad hit a road bump Tuesday, falling 7-4 in a non-conference game at Lynden Christian.
But while the defeat snapped a five-game winning streak for the Wolves, dropping them to 6-2 on the season, CHS made a statement in a battle of titans.
The host Lyncs, who improved to 7-0, are ranked #1 in 1A in the most recent ScoreCzar rankings and have gone undefeated while fighting primarily above their weight class, with five of their seven games coming against 2A or 3A schools.
Even coming in cold (LC was already back in a groove, having beaten 2A Anacortes Monday), the Wolves did far better than most of Lynden’s opponents this season.
Coupeville’s four runs were the second-most scored against the Lyncs, while Lynden’s seven runs were its second-fewest.
The three-run margin also tied for the second-smallest loss by an LC foe.
Chelan, the only other 1A school Lynden has played (and which sits at #20 on ScoreCzar to Coupeville’s #21), was massacred 13-2 on its home field.
By contrast, Coupeville had the tying run on base in the top of the seventh before Lynden Christian wiggled away with the win.
“We put one heck of a scare in ’em,” said Wolf coach Kevin McGranahan. “As usual the girls played with heart and as a team and definitely did better than the 21-6 score from last year.
“I can’t be more proud of this young team and the way they keep playing for each other, ” he added. “Gonna be a very exciting second half of the season.”
The two squads battled to a 1-1 tie until a “few young team errors” allowed the Lyncs to put up six runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Fighting back hard, as they have all season, the Wolves rallied in the late going to make things interesting.
Coupeville plated three in the seventh and had the bags juiced with two outs, but LC “made a great play and got the third out.”
“It was a very hard-fought game and these ladies gave it everything they had,” McGranahan said. “I would put these ladies up against anybody, with their heart and determination they are never out of any game.
“I believe in good losses and bad losses and this was a very good loss,” he added. “They all hurt, but this was a good measuring stick game against an undefeated team that has been mercy-ruling their competition.”
Coupeville’s young guns led the way, with sophomore Katrina McGranahan thumping two triples and a double, while also whiffing three Lyncs from the pitcher’s circle.
Veronica Crownover stroked three singles and knocked home two runs, while fellow freshman Sarah Wright collected an RBI and gunned down a runner at second while working behind the plate.
The Wolves (1-0 in league play) now head into the heart of their schedule, with eight of their next nine games against 1A Olympic League rivals.
First up is a trip to Chimacum (4-3, 0-0) Thursday.
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