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Posts Tagged ‘Softball’

Bash sisters love extra bases

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , , on March 25, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Jada Heaton just wins. Especially on her birthday. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Heaton)

Jada Heaton’s teammates lit off some fireworks for her 18th birthday.

Peppering visiting Friday Harbor with three home runs Tuesday, the Coupeville High School softball squad kept its hot start going, rolling to a 10-0 victory.

The win, which came in six innings thanks to the mercy rule, lifts the Wolves to 1-0 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 4-1 overall.

Now the teams will clash again, with Coupeville making the trek to Friday Harbor Thursday afternoon, as the NWL uses a new-look spring schedule which has conference foes facing off in back-to-back games.

Tuesday’s tilt was hard-fought, but largely one-sided.

Wolf fab frosh hurler Adeline Maynes, coming off a no-hitter, almost made it two in a row, giving up just a fourth-inning single as she whiffed seven.

Friday Harbor got one other runner aboard thanks to a Coupeville error, but neither base runner made it close to tapping home plate.

Not so for the bombers in red and white, who racked up 12 hits, with half of them being for extra bases.

Madison McMillan crunched a pair of home runs, including a game-ending solo shot in the sixth, while Teagan Calkins mashed both a tater and a triple.

Toss in a triple for fleet-footed Mia Farris and a resounding double for the woman who can’t be kept off base — Taylor Brotemarkle — and the Wolf lumber was smokin’ in the rare prairie sunshine.

Softballs fear the wrath of Teagan Calkins. (Michelle Armstrong photo)

“Bats came alive today. Lot of hard-hit balls,” said CHS coach Aaron Lucero.

“Some found gaps, some found gloves, and a few found the other side of the fence!”

Both the power, and the consistency, of Coupeville’s hitting attack was something which pleases the dugout sage.

“We’re making solid in-game adjustments at the plate and really doing a nice job keeping opposing defenses off balance,” Lucero said.

Coupeville chipped, chipped, chipped away all afternoon, pushing runners across in five of six innings.

Things got off to a dynamic start when Brotemarkle punched a first-inning single, followed by Calkins launching a longball to stake her squad to a 2-0 lead.

After a scoreless second frame, the Wolves tacked on three more runs in both the third and fourth to stretch the margin out to 8-0.

McMillan went airborne for the first time with a three-run blast in the third, while the fourth featured consecutive RBI hits from Calkins, McMillan, and Farris.

A run in the fifth, with Brotemarkle driving in Chelsi Stevens, pushed the game close to mercy-rule territory, but the Wolves waited for that until the first batter in the bottom of the sixth.

That was McMillan, and the senior slugger put the final bow on things with her second round-tripper.

Now, a day to rest, refine, and reload, then the rematch.

“Friday Harbor always comes to play and today was no different,” Lucero said.

“They tried to bunt, slap, and they did put the ball in play, so hats off to them.

“Michelle (their head coach) has them prepared to fight and I expect Thursday they will ramp it up even more. We look forward to the competition.”

 

Tuesday stats:

Haylee Armstrong — One walk
Taylor Brotemarkle — Two singles, one double, one walk
Teagan Calkins — One triple, one home run
Mia Farris — One single, one triple
Jada Heaton — One walk
Madison McMillan — One single, two home runs, one walk
Chelsi Stevens — One single
Sydney Van Dyke — One single

Madison McMillan gets medieval. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

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Dodging rain, racking up wins

Posted in Baseball, Girls Tennis, Softball, standings, tagged , , , , , on March 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Cousins Haylee Armstrong (left) and Capri Anter are key members of a high-powered Wolf softball team. (Michelle Armstrong photo)

Spring has fully sprung.

Maybe not in the weather category, as Mother Nature keeps everyone guessing as to her intentions, but enough games have been played that it’s time to once again kick into running weekly standings stories.

The week ahead adds another level of intrigue, with Northwest 2B/1B League teams squaring off against each other for the first time.

Coupeville High School baseball and softball clash with Friday Harbor twice — at home Tuesday, then on the road Thursday.

After that, the hardball squad wraps the week by hosting South Whidbey Saturday for a non-conference tilt.

Meanwhile, Wolf girls’ tennis is slated to (finally) host its first match on its new home courts Tuesday, with East Jefferson coming to town.

Then the netters hit the road Friday for a trip to Friday Harbor for the first of four clashes with the only other NWL school to play the sport.

Wrapping things up, CHS track is on the road twice, with a trip to Mount Vernon Wednesday for a league meet, and a trek to Stanwood Saturday for a freshman/sophomore showcase.

As we head into the great unknown, here’s where things sit as of Mar. 23:

 

Northwest League baseball:

School League Overall
Concrete 0-0 0-0
Coupeville 0-0 0-3
Darrington 0-0 0-2
Friday Harbor 0-0 1-1
La Conner 0-0 0-0
MV Christian 0-0 2-2
Orcas Island 0-0 0-3

 

Northwest League girls’ tennis:

School League Overall
Coupeville 0-0 0-1
Friday Harbor 0-0 0-0

 

Northwest League softball:

School League Overall
Concrete 0-0 0-0
Coupeville 0-0 3-1
Darrington 0-0 2-0
Friday Harbor 0-0 1-2
La Conner 0-0 0-1
Orcas Island 0-0 2-2

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Roll on, mighty mashers!

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on March 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Ava Lucero celebrated her birthday Saturday and helped lead her team to another big win. (Photo courtesy Jess Lucero)

They’re punching above their weight class and landing knockout blows.

Capping a four-game run against bigger schools, the Coupeville High School softball squad dismantled host Meridian 11-0 Saturday afternoon.

The non-conference road win, coming against a well-respected 1A rival, lifts the 2B Wolves to 3-1 heading into the start of conference play.

Coupeville, which hosts Friday Harbor Tuesday in a Northwest 2B/1B League tussle, has beaten a pair of 1A schools and a 2A foe, while losing by just a run to a 3A opponent.

And Saturday’s victory was a case of complete domination.

Freshman hurler Adeline Maynes was on point, tossing a five-inning no-hitter while ringing up 10 strikeouts.

Meridian got two runners aboard thanks to Wolf errors, but other than that, the Trojans had little positive to show for their day.

The game was close for a bit, as Coupeville pushed two runners across in the second but still found itself clinging to a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth.

Those first tallies were created by Jada Heaton and Capri Anter picking up RBIs, but otherwise, the Trojans were dodging bullets.

“Bit of a slower start than I would have liked,” said CHS coach Aaron Lucero, “But we kept working away offensively and then really opened up in the top of the fifth.”

Coupeville plated three runners in the fourth to push the margin out to 5-0, before dropping the hammer with a six-run rally in the fifth frame.

Walks to Teagan Calkins and Madison McMillan got the game-busting surge going, with Sydney Van Dyke driving in a run on a sacrifice.

After that, the hits came fast and furious, with Mia Farris, Heaton, Haylee Armstrong, and Taylor Brotemarkle all bashing RBI singles.

International superstar Taylor Brotemarkle is mobbed by her fans. (Photo courtesy Kimberly Brotemarkle)

“Our players did a good job making plate adjustments to Meridian’s pitcher as the game went on,” Lucero said.

“Offensively we made the plays we needed to. As always, we put a lot of pressure on their defense offensively when on the bases.”

All nine Wolf hitters reached base in the win, with seven picking up hits, the kind of balance any coach loves to see.

“The team is really working towards execution and always ‘doing the little things’,” Lucero said.

“Capri hit the ball hard at the plate, Jada had a solid day, Mia had an absolutely perfect bunt on a set bunt and run play, and several others hit the ball hard that just found leather.

“Another good team win.”

 

Saturday stats:

Capri Anter — One double
Haylee Armstrong — One single
Taylor Brotemarkle — One single, one double
Teagan Calkins — One single, one walk
Mia Farris — One single, two walks
Jada Heaton — Two singles
Ava Lucero — One walk
Madison McMillan — One walk
Sydney Van Dyke — Two singles

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“Great team win!”

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on March 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Madison McMillan is a terror on defense. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Teagan Calkins carries a big bat, and she’s not afraid to use it.

Launching moonballs all day and all night, the Coupeville High School catcher smashed a pair of home runs and a bases-clearing triple Thursday, delivering the kind of performance which will likely scar the next three generations of East Jefferson softball players.

Yes, that includes the ones not even born yet, but who will grow up haunted by the legend of “The Red Dragon” burning Port Townsend down to ash.

And Calkins had plenty of help, as every eligible Wolf hit the field during an 18-0 romp that was mercy ruled after five innings.

The victory over a 1A mash-up of two of Coupeville’s former league rivals — Port Townsend and Chimacum — lifts the 2B Wolves to 2-1 on the season.

Up next? A trip to Meridian Saturday, as Aaron Lucero’s mad mashers play their fourth-straight game against a bigger school.

So far, the Wolves have beaten 1A and 2A foes, while losing by just a single run to a 3A rival.

Thursday’s butt-whuppin’ was administered on both sides of the field.

While the offense was huge, the defense was on point as well.

Freshman flame thrower Adeline Maynes whiffed 12 East Jefferson batters, while Calkins erased the only two rival runners to get aboard.

“Think you can hit this? You can’t.”

The Wolf backstop picked a runner off of first, laying the ball into Ava Lucero’s glove with a quick snap of her wrist, then initiated a rundown which erased a runner straying off second late in the game.

Calkins came charging from behind the plate, bluffed the would-be thief into going the wrong way, then let her teammates chase her down, with Wolf third-baseman Madison McMillan slapping on the tag.

That left Coupeville plenty of time to launch an offensive explosion, and the Wolves were more than up to the task.

Eight hits, with four being of the extra-base variety. Three from Calkins and an RBI double which left the bat of Mia Farris like a laser seeking a moon to destroy.

Fifteen walks.

Thirteen different players reaching base, with 15 playing, including the high school varsity debuts of 8th graders Emma Leavitt and Olivia Martin.

The kind of game which makes for a nice ferry ride back home for the head coach.

“A great team win!” Aaron Lucero said. “They executed all the little things we drill repeatedly.

“Good hitting, pressure on the bases, and just never let up until I dialed them all back.”

 

Thursday stats:

Capri Anter — One walk
Haylee Armstrong — Two walks
Taylor Brotemarkle — One single, two walks
Teagan Calkins — Two home runs, one triple
Mia Farris — One double, one walk
Jada Heaton — One walk
Ava Lucero — Two walks
Olivia Martin — One walk
Chloe Marzocca — One single
Madison McMillan — Three walks
Chelsi Stevens — One walk
Danica Strong — One single
Sydney Van Dyke — One single, one walk

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Wolves, Wildcats rumble in Island rivalry thriller

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , , on March 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Taylor Brotemarkle is mobbed by Mia Farris (left) and Jada Heaton after making a spectacular catch Saturday afternoon. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

“I’m just excited about the fight in these ladies.”

Down to its final outs Saturday, the Coupeville High School varsity softball team rallied to push its big-school rivals right to the edge, something Wolf coach Aaron Lucero loves to see.

And while 3A Oak Harbor ultimately pushed a run across in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-4 walk-off win in the non-conference clash of next-door neighbors, the 2B Wolves have much to be happy about.

“We just ran out of innings!” Lucero said. “Hats off to Oak Harbor; they have a good team and their pitcher, Reese Wasinger, pitched a solid game for them.

“We’re very familiar with a number of their players and their capability and we did not take them lightly.

“I’m very proud of our ladies as they have embraced our philosophy of never being out of the fight!” he added.

“These are the teams that push us to be better and will help us be successful.”

Both teams emerge at 1-1 on the young season, with the host Wildcats bouncing back from a loss to Everett and the Wolves coming off a win over 2A Lakewood in their opener.

With Wasinger and CHS hurler Adeline Maynes flinging heat from the pitcher’s circle on an overcast day, the game stayed close, though Oak Harbor seemed to be in control.

The Wildcats scraped together two runs in the bottom of the first, then tacked on another run in both the third and sixth to build a 4-0 lead.

Coupeville had chances to get something going several times, only to have Wasinger come up big in clutch moments.

Wolf cleanup hitter Madison McMillan led off the top of the second by bashing a double, only to be stranded on the basepaths, a fate which she also endured after walking in the fourth.

Young guns Ava Lucero and Haylee Armstrong rapped out base hits in the third inning as well, but Coupeville couldn’t get the zero off the scoreboard.

Until the top of the seventh inning, that is.

Down to their final cuts, the Wolves brought out the rally caps in style, plating four runners to force a tie.

McMillan and Capri Anter worked walks around a pinch-hit single from Danica Strong, before Coupeville’s younger players created some magic with their bats.

Chelsi Stevens blasts a big-time hit.

Freshman Chelsi Stevens whacked a two-run single, fellow fab frosh Ava Lucero added a key base-knock to keep the rally alive, and sophomore Haylee Armstrong clubbed an RBI double.

Coupeville had six of its 10 baserunners in the seventh inning, though Wasinger did escape before giving up the lead.

Oak Harbor then made short work of its own rally in the bottom half of the final frame, with Haylee Burleigh blasting a leadoff triple, before rambling home with the winning run.

The Wildcat leadoff hitter had herself a day, collecting three hits, including a pair of three-baggers.

Haylee Burleigh (4) had a big day at the plate for the Wildcats.

While both offenses came up big in crunch time, the highlight reel play of the game came on the defensive side.

Coupeville senior shortstop Taylor Brotemarkle made a sensational running snag on a ball lofted high up over second base.

Breaking from her spot on the field in between second and third, she told her legs “Don’t fail me now!” to which her gams replied, “Have we ever?”

Spoiler: the answer is no.

Covering ground like she was shot out of a cannon, Brotemarkle went well past second base and off into center field, before pulling down the popup right in front of the oncoming Mia Farris and Jada Heaton, who promptly helped her celebrate.

 

Saturday stats:

Capri Anter — One walk
Haylee Armstrong — One single, one double
Ava Lucero — Two singles
Madison McMillan — One double, two walks
Chelsi Stevens — One single
Danica Strong — One single

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