PREP SOFTBALL
Montesano 12, Elma 7
The rematch between Montesano and Elma on April 24 was a slug-fest that saw the Bulldogs come out on top 12-7 in Montesano.
The matchup featured two of the best teams in Washington as the Eagles came into the action ranked third with Montesano ranked No. 12 in the state, according to maxpreps.com.
The Bulldogs started off strong with two runs in the first inning and exploded in the second inning with seven more runs.
Montesano’s Lindsay Pace (20) is greeted at home plate by her teammates after hitting a home run in the third inning against Elma. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Monte batted around in a second inning that was highlighted by Jessica Stanfield’s three-run home run to put Montesano up 9-1.
Elma had some uncharacteristic defensive miscues that contributed to Monte’s success. All four of the Eagles’ errors came in the second inning.
“We just told them that you have to be ready and to drive it when your pitch comes,” Montesano head coach Pat Pace said. “We tried to be a little more patient at the plate than the last time we played, but just because you put up seven runs doesn’t mean the game is over with Elma.”
The Eagles never fully recovered from Monte’s second inning, but Elma head coach Roger Elliot said his team showed a lot of fight over the next five innings.
“We had a really bad inning in that second inning. There were too many errors, too many passed balls along with a couple of walks and hits,” he said. “I thought we hit the ball fine, we just didn’t get that clutch two-out hit. They fought back and didn’t lay down.”
Elma’s Jalyn Whimple tried to tag out Montesano’s Matti Eckerson in the fourth inning on Wednesday. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Elma responded in the top of the third inning by scoring four runs of its own to make it a 9-5 ballgame.
Elma starter Destry Dineen had a rough go of it in the circle but managed to get a two-run double to cap the Eagles’ third-inning.
With their lead trimmed, Monte put together one more offensive flurry with three runs in the bottom of the third. Pitcher Lindsay Pace’s two-run home run to center field put the Bulldogs up 12-5.
Montesano’s Emma Jensen, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the contest, said the team had a better plate approach than it did the last time it faced Elma.
“You have to look for a first-pitch strike and you can’t let having strikes on you mess with your mindset,” she said. “You can’t let the pitcher get into your head because that’s what our struggle was last game. It wasn’t them, it was us.”
Monte starter Pace pitched a complete game.
She said she kept hitters off balance by working off of her fastball and looked to take control of the inside corner of the plate early in the count.
“I was trying to pitch them inside to see if they could get their hands through the zone fast enough and I was mixing speeds on them toward the end,” she said.
Jensen said the team is in a good head space to finish strong with three league games left on the schedule.
“If we are mentally stable and we have pitching, defense and offense, we can literally do anything,” she said.
— Hasani Grayson, Grays Harbor News Group
Montesano 15, Tenino 3
A day after earning the emotional win over rival Elma the Montesano Bulldogs scored 12 runs over the final two innings to beat the Tenino Beavers 15-3 Thursday, April 25, in Tenino.
Up 3-0 in the top of the third, Montesano saw its lead trimmed to one run when Tenino scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame.
The Beavers tied the game with a run in the fourth off Montesano starter Lindsay Pace, but that’s as close as Tenino would get to the upset.
Powered by eight hits, including Matti Ekerson’s two-run home run, Monte scored seven runs in the fifth to retake the lead and provide Pace some breathing room.
The Bulldogs added another five runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Janessa Otterstetter, Jessica Stanfield, Kate Klinger and Lexi Lovell.
Pace picked up the win, allowing one earned run on seven hits with nine strikeouts.
Pace also had a solid day at the plate, going 2+for-2 with three runs scored and a home run.
Ekerson led Monte at the plate with a three-hit day, three runs scored and three RBI.
— Ryan Sparks, Grays Harbor News Group
Wishkah Valley 23, Oakville 5
Wishkah took advantage of 19 walks by Oakville pitchers en route to a 23-5 three-inning victory on Friday at Wishkah Valley High School.
Eight Loggerettes recorded a base hit in the ballgame, led by Averie Perron’s 2-for-2 game.
Erica Bomhoff picked up the win, throwing a hitless first inning.
Mackenzie Robertson and Perron each pitched an inning in relief. Robertson allowed two runs and struck out three while Perron gave up three runs with a strikeout.
— Ryan Sparks, Grays Harbor News Group
Other Scores
Elma 7, Hoquiam 5 on April 25.
Elma’s Hannah Warren gets the putout at first base while Montesano’s Janessa Otterstetter on Wednesday. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Montesano celebrates after recording the final out of a game against Elma on Wednesday. Montesano beat Elma 12-7 to tie the Eagles at the top of the standings. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
