In a non-league battle of two of the Twin Harbor’s most successful softball programs, Montesano earned an 11-1 victory over Pe Ell-Willapa Valley on Monday at Dick Tagman Field in Montesano.

The Bulldogs (7-3 overall) trailed the Titans (7-3) just one batter into the game as Titans center fielder Lauren Matlock took a Grace Gooding pitch over the center field wall for a leadoff home run.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Pe Ell-Willapa Valley’s Lauren Matlock hit a leadoff home run in the first inning of an 11-1 loss to Montesano on Monday in Montesano.

The game belonged to Montesano after that.

Monte took advantage of the slightest Titans mistake as evidenced with three runs in the first inning, with left fielder Liv Robinson crossing the plate on a wild pitch and Lex Stanfield and Regan Wintrip scoring on a Titans throwing error.

Robinson would drive in Charlie Fairbairn with a single in the second followed by a two-run home run from catcher Ali Parkin for a 6-1 lead.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano catcher Ali Parkin rounds second base after hitting a home run during an 11-1 win over Pe Ell-Willapa Valley on Monday in Montesano.

A few batters later, Stanfield scored on a ground-rule double by Gooding as the Bulldogs took control of the game after two innings of play.

Monte would add three more runs in the fourth on a Parkin sacrifice fly, an RBI ground out by senior shortstop Addi Kersker – playing in her first game back after a concussion on March 22 – and a run-scoring single by infielder Jaelyn Butterfield.

The Bulldogs would earn the five-run mercy-rule victory when Ember Jones would score on a wild pitch with one out in the bottom of the fifth.

“Speed usually doesn’t go into slumps,” said Montesano head coach Pat Pace, whose team speed pressured hurried throws by the Titans defense, which committed two errors in the game that led to three unearned runs. “Then throw in a couple of girls that can put the ball in the outfield and when our baserunners run, I’d say that putting the bat on the ball has been the focus with our speed.”

Liv Robinson led Monte, going 4 for 4 from her leadoff spot while Stanfield was also perfect with a 3 for 3 day.

The top four batters of Monte’s lineup – Liv Robinson, Parkin, Stanfield and Gooding – went a combed 10 for 12 (.833) with five RBI.

“We’ve been working more on hitting,” said Parkin, who has four home runs during Monte’s current seven-game winning streak. “Our bats have just been coming alive, over and over again. It’s just been constant hitting from us.”

Gooding earned the victory in the circle after holding the Titans scoreless after allowing the leadoff home run to Matlock. The Bulldogs right-hander scattered six hits with a walk and five strikeouts in five innings of work.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano pitcher Grace Gooding earned the victory in an 11-1 win over Pe Ell-Willapa Valley on Monday at Montesano High School.

“Grace is an amazing pitcher. I love catching her,” Parkin said. “Her spin is just crazy. Sometimes I get thrown off from it. Her screwballs, curveballs and drops, I mean everything was working today.”

Pace said that Gooding and freshman pitcher Violet Prince provides Montesano with two solid arms it can throw at opposing offenses.

“We’ve got Violet coming in and throwing speed and Grace coming in and throwing movement, and that’s tough,” he said. “We’ve got a great 1-2 combination and that’s going to do us well going into the postseason.”

PWV was led by Jillian Hodel with a pair of hits, including a double.

Eliza Barnum took the loss for PWV, allowing 11 runs – eight earned – on 13 hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 4 1-3 innings pitched.

Titans head coach Eric Hopfer acknowledged Monte’s speed posed a problem on Monday, but stated his team’s bats falling relatively silent was more of an issue for a team that usually puts up runs.

“We’ve got to bring our bats. We’re not going to win any games without scoring runs,” he said. “We need a little better plate approach and lay off some of the pitches we shouldn’t be swinging at and everything will be fine. That’s something we’re working on. … We’re a better hitting team than that.”

Montesano is set to face 4A-class Puyallup at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Montesano.

PWV hosts Chief Leschi in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22.

PWV 100 00 – 1 6 3

Montesano 340 31 – 11 13 0

WP: Gooding (5 IP, R, ER, 6H, BB, 5K). LP: Barnum (4.1 IP, 11R, 8ER, 13H, BB, 6K).

Leading hitters: PWV – Hodel (2-3, 2B); Matlock (1-3, HR, R, RBI); Milanowski (1-2); Phelps (1-2); Smaciarz (1-2). Montesano – Liv Robinson (4-4, RBI); Stanfield (3-3, 3R); Gooding (2-3, 2B, R); Parkin (1-2, HR, R, 3RBI); Butterfield (1-3, RBI); Widsom (1-3); Jones (1-1, R); La. Robinson (0-0, 4R); Kersker (0-3, RBI).