PREP SOFTBAL
Toledo 11, Raymond 1
Mistakes at the plate and in the field were too much for Raymond to overcome as the Seagulls saw their season come to an end with an 11-1 loss to Toledo in the first round of 2B District IV Tournament on Monday in Centralia
Raymond (9-11 overall) got through the first inning without surrendering a run, but Toledo (12-9) got the bats going in second inning, putting up four runs.
The Indians weren’t done building their lead and added another four runs in the third frame. Raymond pitcher Izzy Silvernail walked four and gave up eight hits, however, Raymond head coach Steve Silvernail said the defense didn’t do a lot to help her out.
“Mistakes come back to haunt you,” he said. “We’ve played better defensively than we’ve played in other games, but we couldn’t make those key plays and gave up runs we couldn’t afford to give up.”
Raymond tried to put together a rally to extend the game beyond five innings but had to settle for just one run in the bottom of the fifth. Sidney Swogger’s single up the middle plated Callie McVey to help the Seagulls avoid the shutout with one out in the inning.
The game, and the Seagulls’ season, ended in that fifth inning as Swogger was doubled off on a caught line drive by Indians first basmen Brynn Williams, who then beat Swogger to the bag to complete the double play.
Raymond’s Izzy Silvernail delivers a pitch in the second inning against Toledo in the opening round of the 2B District IV Tournament on Monday. Silvernail struck out two in the 11-1 loss to the Indians. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Steve Silvernail said he was hoping the hitters in the middle of the lineup would come up with more timely hits.
“We have to get through the first part of our batting order to hit the ball well. We did that today, but we still couldn’t pull it together,” he said. “We have kids who normally produced for us against that quality of pitching, but it wasn’t there today.”
Raymond has made it to districts in the first two year’s of the program’s history but is still looking for its first postseason win.
The Seagulls coaching staff had an extended post-game meeting with its players to lay out the expectations for the off season. Coach Silvernail said the preparation should start now for a lot of his young athletes.
“The season shouldn’t end today. It should really start for them,” he said. “When they come back next year, it won’t take them a whole year to warm up because they will have already been swinging the bat. The kids that want to put the time in are going to see success and, eventually, we can build a program that reflects that.”
Toledo 044 21 – 11 8 1
Raymond 000 01 – 1 3 3
WP – Payson Hoiseck (5 K, 4 BB, ER) ; LP – Izzy Silvernail (2 K, 4 BB, 8 H)
Top Hitters: Raymond — Swogger (RBI) Toledo – Kaliegh Holmes (2-3, 2B, R), Jessica Hull (2-3, RBI, 2 R)
Morton-White Pass 16, North Beach 1
North Beach couldn’t hold on to its early lead in an elimination-game loss to Morton-White Pass in the first round of the 2B District IV Tournament on Monday in Centralia.
The Hyaks (7-11 overall) looked to be off to a promising start when Jalynah Evaro drove in Jessy Garman with a single to give North Beach the 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Unfortunately for Hyaks pitcher Ruby Pope, that would be all the run support she would get as Morton-White Pass (15-7) retook the lead with three runs in the bottom of the first.
The Wolves tacked on eight more runs in a second-inning rally that was highlighted by a two-run homer from Emmalee Hazen.
North Beach head coach Jessica Preisinger said that Pope didn’t have command of all her pitches and acknowledged that defensive miscues didn’t help matters.
“Some of her pitches weren’t doing what we needed. We needed some drop balls in there so we could get a few more grounders and double-plays,” she said. “Other than that, she did a great job staying level headed on the mound even when her defense wasn’t backing her up. She didn’t lose her cool.”
North Beach’s Ruby Pope delivers pitches against Morton White-Pass in the opening round of the 2B District IV Tournament on Monday. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
The Wolves took advantage of two more errors in the third inning and ended the game after three innings, with another five run outburst to close things out.
Three of North Beach’s starters were unable to play in the tournament game, forcing Preisinger to juggle the lineup at the last minute and insert some underclassmen.
She said she liked the demeanor of her team despite the lopsided result.
“I was happy the girls battled in the end, but there were a lot of young errors made that we can’t make in districts,” she said.
The Hyaks coaching staff is hoping that a slew of returning players will help the program take the next step next season.
North Beach will part ways with three seniors and has three eighth graders on this year’s roster, all of which got their first taste of varsity play.
Preisinger said getting to see a quality team in the postseason should give her young players a better idea of where their skill level needs to be at to compete.
“It’s really important for them because they’re eighth graders, and from here on out if we make it to districts they should already know what its like,” she said. “They were nervous when I told them they had to step up and play today, so it’ll be good for us in the long run.”
North Beach 100 – 1 4 4
Morton-White Pass 385 – 16 6 2
WP – Jaiden Linder (5 K, ER); LP – Pope (5 BB, 7 ER)
Top Hitters: North Beach – Pope (RBI); Morton-White Pass – Linder (2B, 2 RBI, 2 R), Hazen (HR, 3 RBI)
GIRLS PREP TENNIS
Castle Rock 4, Montesano 1
The Montesano girls tennis team will have to settle for second place as the Bulldogs fell to Castle Rock 4-1 on Monday at Castle Rock High School.
With a chance to earn a share of the 1A Evergreen League title with a win, Monte head coach Theresa Helland said the Rockets’ ability to make the most of Monte mistakes was the difference in the match.
“Players are going to make mistakes and the team that capitalizes puts away the match,” she said. “They made a few more of those shots than we did.”
Montesano’s only win of the match came from Katherine Thomas. The Bulldogs’ No. 3 singles player defeated her Castle Rock counterpart, Grace Pelletier 6-0, 6-2.
“Thomas was convincing in her win,” Helland said. “That was a pretty quick match for her.”
Monte (7-4, 6-2 Evergreen 1A) will be sending four athletes to the SWW1A District Tennis meet scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday at Club Green Meadows in Vancouver.
The Bulldogs’ top two singles players, Sophie Barre and Anna Ayres, and their top doubles team of Alexa Couch and Danika Peterson will be competing for a spot in the state tournament.
Though missing a chance at a co-league title, Helland was positive about the season.
“With our graduations last year, I am super proud of this team’s play this year and our second-place finish,” she said.
Singles: Madolyn Del Castillo (Castle Rock) defeated Sophie Barre (Montesano) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1; Jenna LaFontaine (CR) def. Anna Ayres (M) 6-4, 6-1; Katherine Thomas (M) def. Grace Pelletier (CR) 6-0, 6-2.
Doubles: Erica Thwaites/Paige Mershon (CR) def. Alexa Couch/Danika Peterson (M) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3); Hanna Lair/Megan Keeling (CR) def. Ellie Barbo/Ava Poler (M) 6-2, 6-1.
— Ryan Sparks, Grays Harbor News Group
North Beach’s Jalynah Evaro catches a line drive in the second inning against Morton-White Pass in the opening round of the 2B District IV Tournament on Monday. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
