Montesano outlasts Hoquiam, 6-5

MONTESANO — Montesano built just enough of a lead to weather a Hoquiam comeback and defeat the Grizzlies, 6-5, in an Evergreen 1A League game at Jack Rottle Field on Thursday.

The Bulldogs (1-0, 2-1) were able to plate their first batter of the game, but it was a four-run fourth inning that gave them just enough offense to top Hoquiam.

The Grizzlies (0-1, 0-3), who had just two hits in the first five innings, exploded offensively in the sixth to push across five runs, but the comeback ended short of victory.

“We played a little small ball and came up with a couple huge hits,” Montesano head coach Pat Pace said. “I thought Sam (Stanfield) threw five great innings. She kept their batters off balance and blew it past a couple of them and in the last two innings, she slowed down and they hit the ball hard on her. In the sixth, we made a few errors, but Sam just put the ball down the middle too much and they couldn’t lay off it.”

“Every time we play (Montesano) we have a good game,” Hoquiam head coach Keith Reynvaan said. “I was proud of how the girls came back. We put some good swings on the ball today and that was good to see. When we put runners on we brought them around. Overall, I was pretty pleased with the way we played.”

Stanfield helped her cause in her first plate appearance. The junior led off the inning by bunting her way aboard and then came around to score moments later on a double by Lindsay Pace.

Peyton Poler helped tack on another run for the Bulldogs in the second when she hit the ball back up the middle for a single. Lexi Lovell came on to run for Poler and took second on a wild pitch and was able to steal third and home.

Montesano’s big inning came in the fourth, scoring four runs on five hits. The rally looked to be over when Katie Granstrom grounded a ball to third base, but the sophomore hustled to beat the throw to first and Lovell was able to score from third. Granstrom scored two pitches later when Hannah Quinn connected on her second double of the game.

Monte would add one more run when Stanfield singled to score Quinn, while Lindsay Pace capped the Bulldogs scoring on a single to score Stanfield.

Hoquiam’s rally in the sixth began on a play at first as well. This time it was English Hyde reaching base on a bloop hit just over the pitchers mound. Hyde’s hit was the first of a string of five straight hits for the Grizzlies, including singles from Emma Skinner and ReyLynn Dunn as well as doubles from Paige Folkers and Jenna Doll. All five of the batters came around to score to cut the lead to one, but the rally ended on back-to-back pop flies.

The Grizzlies looked to be starting a rally in the seventh as well when Hyde reached first to start the inning, yet the rally ended again with two pop flys with fly to right field sealing Hoquiam’s fate.

Reynvaan cited Hyde for her pitching performance and Dunn for her work at the plate.

Pat Pace cited Stanfield for her work in the circle and at the plate as well as the hitting performances of Quinn, Poler and Lindsay Pace.

Montesano travels to Holy Names on Saturday, while Hoquiam is off until after Spring Break when they host Elma on April 11.

Hoquiam 000 005 0 — 5 9 1

Montesano 110 400 X — 6 13 2

Stanfield and Poler; Hyde and German

RBI: Hoquiam — Jump, German, Doll, Skinner. Montesano — Pace 2, Stanfield, Granstrom, Quinn. Doubles: Hoquiam — Folkers, Doll. Montesano — Quinn 2, Pace. Three hits: Montesano — Pace, Quinn. Two hits: Hoquiam — Jump, Hyde, Dunn. Montesano — Stanfield, Poler, Granstrom.

Winning pitcher — Stanfield (seven strikouts, one walk). Losinger pitcher — Hyde (three strikeouts, two walks).