By DAVID SVIEN
Special to the News-Times
“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.
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
(Photo by John Fisken) Taylor Brotemarkle is mobbed by Mia Farris, at left, and Jada Heaton after making a spectacular catch Saturday afternoon.
