PREP BASEBALL
Ocosta 5, Onalaska 3
Ocosta’s victory over Onalaska in the quarterfinal round of the 2B District IV Tournament didn’t follow the typical script of a Wildcats victory, but they’ll take it nonetheless.
Ocosta (18-3 overall) fell behind early then clawed back into the game by manufacturing runs — tying the game on a Jayden Matthews base hit and taking the lead on Kjirstin Hopfer’s bases-loaded walk — to earn a gritty 5-3 win at Grand Army Memorial Park in Westport on Saturday.
With the win, Ocosta secures a spot in the 2B regional round of the state playoffs.
Ocosta figured to be in good shape on the mound, with reigning Pacific League MVP Cole Hatton getting the start.
Ocosta starting pitcher Cole Hatton hurls a pitch during the Wildcats’ 5-3 victory over Onalaska on Saturday. Hatton allowed three earned runs over 4 2/3 innings pitched and took a no decision. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)
But Hatton was atypically off his game at the outset, hitting Loggers leadoff hitter Kyle Hamilton followed by giving up a single to A.J. Volk.
After the runners advanced on a wild pitch, Onalaska junior Ashton Haight lined Hatton’s full-count pitch to left field for a double. Hamilton and Volk came around to score on the play to give Onalaska (13-7) an early 2-0 lead.
“I don’t know what was up, I just couldn’t find the strike zone really,” Hatton offered before praising his defense, which had just one error on the day. “Our defense made the plays, (shortstop) Cesar (Martinez) had a couple of ground balls, our outfield was stellar — they caught everything. So (Onalaska) got a hold of the ball and we caught it. That’s what held them.”
“We had to really pick each other up today because Cole wasn’t as sharp as he normally is,” Ocosta head coach Mike Allton said. “Cole was a little bit off today and we persevered through some really difficult scenarios and they didn’t lose heart at all during the game.”
Hatton ran into trouble again in the third inning after Volk led off with a double. After advancing to third on a Haight groundout, Volk came around to score on a single by senior Cody Cooper to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
But the Wildcats, which had entered the game scoring nine runs or more in nine of its past 11 games, began to find some success against Onalaska starter Tanner McClean, who allowed just two hits through the first two innings.
Ocosta’s Harley Figueroa walked to lead off the third followed by singles from Kobe Beck and Hatton to load the bases with no outs.
After Figueroa was forced out at home on a ground out by Colby Scheuber, Martinez drew a walk to force in Ocosta’s first run of the game and chase McClean from the bump.
Wildcats outfielder Jayden Matthews got Ocosta a run closer when he blooped a single off Onalaska reliever Kayden Allison, scoring Hatton to cut the deficit to 3-2.
After pitching a 1-2-3 fourth inning, Hatton walked Hamilton on four pitches to lead off the top of the fifth. With Volk at the plate, Hatton picked off Hamilton at first and induced a fly out from Volk. He was then relieved by Beck, who got Haight to ground out to end the inning.
With the momentum beginning to swing it its direction, Ocosta opened the bottom of the fifth inning with four straight base hits, tying the game when Hatton scored on a Matthews single to right field.
“Lately, we’ve been working on going for the right pitch,” Matthews said. “I caught it and hooked it up to the right fielder. It wasn’t my best hit, but anything to score a run. That was a really big run there and we wanted to get the momentum shifted back to our side. By any means necessary, it doesn’t matter who it is, just get the job done.”
With the sacks still full, Hopfer worked a walk against Loggers reliever Cody Cooper to give Ocosta the lead at 4-3.
“I’ve had pressure situations a million times,” said Hopfer of the pressure-packed at-bat. “I was a little nervous, but going in I knew I could do it and help my team out as much as I could.”
Issac O’Hagan followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Martinez and give Beck some insurance at 5-3.
That was all Beck would need, as the senior right-hander shut down the Onalaska offense, retiring all seven batters he faced to end the ballgame.
Ocosta’s Kobe Beck throws a pitch during a 2B District IV playoff game against Onalaska on Saturday in Westport. Beck earned the win, throwing 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief in the Wildcats’ 5-3 victory. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)
“Kobe came in and just threw strikes against a hot-swinging Onalaska team and he pretty much shut the door,” Allton said. “He was throwing strikes and we played solid defense behind him.”
“I just knew I had to come in and do my part and finish it,” said Beck, who was poised and unshakeable in Saturday’s performance. “There was definitely pressure, but I just knew I had to do my part. (The game) was close so you can’t get too excited.”
The win secured a spot in the 2B State Baseball Tournament’s regional round, which begins on May 18.
“Amazing,” Beck said of the win.
“This is the best feeling in the world right now,” added Hatton.
“I’ve been telling the kids all year that this isn’t a one-man show and you never know who is going to be the hero. Today, it took an overall team effort to get the job done against a really tough, well-coached Onalaska team. … It was a real, gritty win with everybody having a hand in it,” Hatton said.
Ocosta advances to the 2B District IV semifinal round, where they’ll face Central League runner-up, Adna (16-3), at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Mossyrock High School.
Onalaska faces Napavine at 1 p.m. on Monday in the consolation round at Adna High School.
Onalaska 201 000 0 — 3 5 0
Ocosta 002 030 x — 5 10 1
WP — Beck (2.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, K); LP — Allison (1.2 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 H, 4 K)
Top Players: Ocosta — Matthews (2-2, 2 RBI); Hatton (3-4, 2 R); Matthews (2-3, 2 RBI); Scheuber (2-3, R); Beck (1-4, R); Martinez (1-2, R, RBI); Jose Sevilla (1-3); O’Hagan (0-2, R, SF); Hopfer (0-0, BB, RBI). Onalaska — Volk (2-3, 2B, 2 R); Haight (1-3, 2 RBI).
