CASTLE ROCK — Montesano rediscovered its batting stroke just in time to secure a regional berth.
Erupting for 22 innings in their final 10 innings, the Bulldogs placed third in the District IV Class 1A Baseball Tournament with a pair of victories Saturday at Castle Rock.
Evan Bates homered as Monte first eliminated La Center, 14-2. The Bulldogs then avenged an earlier district loss with a 9-3 victory over White Salmon in a winner-to-regionals, loser-out affair.
White Salmon had knocked out Elma, 9-6, earlier in the day.
The Evergreen 1A League champion Bulldogs (15-4) will return to Castle Rock for a one-day regional tournament on Saturday. They will open against the District II champion Overlake at 10 a.m.
The survivor of next Saturday’s Castle Rock tripleheader will advance to the state semifinals May 26-27 in Yakima.
A hard-hitting team that had averaged more than nine runs per game in regular-season competition, the Bulldogs had been limited to a combined six hits in splitting their first two district contests.
A five-run fourth inning against La Center on Saturday, however, opened the floodgates for the remainder of the occasionally wet afternoon.
“We made some adjustments,” Bulldog coach Mike Osgood said. “We’re hitting the ball again. It was good to see.”
Matt Plato’s two-run double ignited the five-run fourth against La Center. Bates finished off the inning with a two-run homer.
Bates and Teegan Zillyett had three hits apiece in that game for the Bulldogs.
Staff ace Nate Kloempken, although somewhat under the weather, pitched six effective innings to collect the victory.
The Bulldogs had committed five errors in the first three innings of a 7-3 district-opening loss to White Salmon on Monday. When the Bruins tallied three unearned runs in the second inning to take the lead Saturday, Osgood admitted to momentary thoughts of deja vu.
Kyle Trout’s two-run single in the third, however, regained what turned out to be a permanent lead for the Bulldogs.
Still clinging to a 4-3 edge, the Bulldogs broke it open with a five-run sixth. Dakoyta Reninger’s RBI triple was the key blow in that inning, which also including run-scoring singles from Zillyett and Sawyer Rhoden.
Rebounding from a rough outing in the first White Salmon game, Austin Peterson spun a four-hitter in going the distance on the mound.
“We have a lot of confidence when he’s on the mound and he was key. He pitched a great game,” Osgood said.
Details from the White Salmon-Elma game were immediately unavailable. The Eagles, who played well late in the season, finished the campaign at 6-12.
Montesano 001 501 7 — 14 13 1
La Center 000 020 0 — 2 3 2
Kloempken, Chapman (7) and Rhoden; Smith, Castleberry (6) and Williamson.
RBI: Montesano — Bates 2, Zillyett 2, Gallinger, Trout 2. La Center — Castleberry, Ossenkomp. Three hits: Montesano — Bates, Zillyett. Two hits: Montesano — Rhoden, Gallinger. La Center — Castleberry. Home runs: Montesano — Bates. Doubles: Montesano — Plato, Bates. La Center — Castleberry 2, Ossenkomp.
Winning pitcher — Kloempken (walked two; struck out six). Losing pitcher — Smith (walked four; struck out three).
White Salmon 030 000 0 — 3 4 1
Montesano 202 005 x — 9 9 3
Gross, Koester (6), Musgrove (6) and Changer; Peterson and Rhoden.
RBI: Montesano — Bates 2, Zillyett 2, Reninger, Rhoden, Trout 2. Two hits: Montesano — Rhoden, Bates. White Salmon — Koester. Triples: Montesano — Bates, Reninger. Doubles: White Salmon — Koester.
Winning pitcher — Peterson (walked three; struck out four). Losing pitcher — Gross (walked one; struck out three).
