Ocosta opened the softball season with a new yet legendary head coach and got a big day at the plate from infielder/pitcher Jessie Gilbert to sweep Ilwaco in a Wednesday doubleheader.

PREP SOFTBALL

Ocosta 7, Ilwaco 2

The Ocosta Wildcats opened the season with a new coach, but a familiar face to Twin Harbors sports fans.

Legendary former Ocosta volleyball coach Barbara Rasmus came out of retirement to coach the Wildcats softball team this season.

Rasmus, who retired in 2019 after 29 years coaching a successful Wildcats volleyball program, appeared on the diamond for the first time since coaching the Ocosta softball team in 1999-2000 as the Wildcats opened the season with a doubleheader against Ilwaco in Westport.

In the opener, Ocosta got a home run from shortstop Jessie Gilbert and a scoreless performance from Annika Hollingsworth in the circle for a 7-2 victory on Wednesday.

Gilbert opened the scoring with a line-drive blast to center for a solo home run to put the Wildcats up 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning.

Zaida Morales followed with a run-scoring single later in the inning before Ilwaco tied the game at 2-2 in the third on a triple and a dropped third strike.

But Ocosta (2-0 overall) quickly regained the lead when Noel Cuzdey chased home Trinity White and Hollingsworth with a two-run double in the bottom of the third.

Morales added a run with an RBI single to score Cuzdey later in the inning.

In the fourth, Gilbert put Ocosta up by five with a two-run single, scoring White and Samantha Schlegel, each of whom were aboard with singles.

That was more than enough run support for Hollingsworth, who sparkled in a complete-game performance. The sophomore allowed no earned runs and three hits while striking out four to just one walk.

Gilbert led Ocosta’s offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI.

Morales (2-3, 2RBI), Cuzdey (2-2, 2B, 2R, RBI) and White (2-4, 2B, 2R) added multi-hit games for an Ocosta team that recorded 12 hits in the game

Ilwaco 002 000 0 — 2 3 0

Ocosta 023 200 x — 7 12 0

Ilwaco — Dille 1-2, 3B, R, RBI; Agee 1-3; Leune-Campbell 1-3. LP — Patana 6 IP, 7ER, 12H, 5K, 2BB.

Ocosta — Gilbert 2-3, HR, R, 4RBI; Morales 2-3, 2RBI; Cuzdey 2-2, 2B, 2R, RBI; White 2-4, 2B, 2R; Hollingsworth 1-4, R; J. Schlegel 1-3; S. Schlegel. WP — Hollingsworth 7 IP, 2R, 0ER, 3H, 14K, BB.

Ocosta 12, Ilwaco 2

Ocosta completed the doubleheader sweep with a 12-2 win over Ilwaco in the nightcap.

Jessie Gilbert continued her hot start to the season at the dish for Ocosta, driving in four runs on a double, triple and her second home run of the day. The Wildcats clean-up hitter smacked a run-scoring double in the top of the first, an RBI triple in fifth and a two-run homer in sixth for four RBI in the game.

Annika Hollingsworth also went perfect at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double and four runs scored to set the plate for Gilbert.

Brynn Rasmus (2-4), Trinity White (2-4, 2B, R, RBI) and Noel Cuzdey (2-4, R, RBI) also had multi-hit games for a Wildcats offense that recorded 16 hits in the game, seven being of the extra-base variety.

Gilbert also picked up the win for Ocosta, allowing two earned runs on four hits with 14 strikeouts and a walk in six innings pitched.

“I thought we played a pretty clean game. … The girls were hustling,” Coach Rasmus said. “They were a little intimidated at first facing live pitching for the first time (this season), but once they got a hold of it they had a good time out there and it was pretty fun.”

Ocosta 113 052 — 12 16 0

Ilwaco 010 001 — 2 4 0

Ocosta — Hollingsworth 4-4, 2B, 4R; Gilbert 3-3, 2B, 3B, 2R-HR, 3R, 4RBI; White 2-4, 2B, R, RBI; Cuzdey 2-4, R, RBI; Rasmus 2-4; Gamez 1-2, 2R; Morales 1-3, 2B, 2RBI; S. Schlegel 1-3, R, RBI. WP — Gilbert 6

IP, 2ER, 4H, 14K, BB.

Ilwaco — McKinstry 2-3, 2 2B, R, RBI; Patana 1-3, R; Dille 1-2. LP — McKinstry 6 IP, 12ER, 16H, 2K, BB.

PREP BASEBALL

Overlake/Bear Creek 8, Montesano 4

Montesano opened its season with an 8-4 loss to Overlake/Bear Creek on Wednesday at Marymoor Park in Redmond.

The Bulldogs (0-1 overall) fell behind 4-0 after the first inning and 6-0 after three innings before climbing back into the game in the top of the fourth.

In the frame, Montesano scored four runs, capped by a Tyler Johansen two-run triple to cut the deficit to 6-4.

But the Growls (3-0) scored a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on a Ben Fettig double and Jaxon Fowler single to hand Monte the 8-4 loss.

“Fell behind in the first inning and tried playing catch-up all game,” Montesano head coach Mike Osgood said. “Our pitchers struggled getting ahead in counts. … We got some stuff to clean up but there were positives to build on.”

One of those positives was the Montesano defense, which played error-free baseball and included two diving catches from Bulldogs right fielder Kaleb Ames and some solid fielding by second baseman Josh Wills.

In addition to Johansen, Monte’s offense was led by Isaiah Pierce (1-3, 3B), Issac Pierce (1-4, R, RBI) and Ames (1-3, 2B, R) for a Bulldogs team that collected five hits in the game.

Johansen took the loss, allowing four earned runs on two hits and four walks in 2/3 of an inning pitched.

Montesano 000 400 0 — 4 5 0

Overlake/Bear Creek 402 002 x — 8 11 1

Montesano — Johansen 1-3, 3B, 2RBI; Isaiah Pierce 1-3, 3B; Issac Pierce 1-4, R, RBI; Ames 1-3, 2B, R; Wills 1-3, R, Busz 0-2, R. LP — Johansen 2/3 IP, 4ER, 2H, 4BB. Busz 2 IP, H, 3K.

OBC — Fowler 3-4, 2RBI; Fettig 1-3, 2B, 3R, RBI; Hollis 1-3, 2B, 2R, RBI. WP — Clark 5 IP; 4ER, 5H, 6K, 2BB.

Other scores

Prep Baseball

Black Hills 3, Elma 0

Prep Boys Soccer

Elma 2, King’s Way Christian 2