Aberdeen’s bats came alive in a Myrtle Street Rivalry victory over Hoquiam as we review Thursday’s prep baseball games on the Harbor.

PREP BASEBALL

Aberdeen 16, Hoquiam 3

Aberdeen made plenty of contact and took advantage of Hoquiam miscues for a 16-3 mercy-rule victory on Thursday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

The Bobcats (1-1 overall) scored 16 runs on 16 hits with nine different Bobcats collecting a base hit in the game.

Aberdeen scored three runs in the first highlighted by a Hunter Eisele RBI triple with Hoquiam (0-1) responding with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning on Riley Montoure’s two-run single.

Hoquiam would tie the game when Chase Shumate came in to score on an Aberdeen error in the second inning.

But the Grizzlies celebration would be short-lived as the Bobcats would put up seven runs in the top of the third, capped by an Aidan Baker two-run double as Aberdeen took a 10-3 lead.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen’s Aidan Baker gestures toward his teammates after hitting a two-run double during a 16-3 victory over Hoquiam on Thursday in Hoquiam.

The Bobcats put the game in 1o-run rule territory with six runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by Hunter Eisele’s bases-loaded triple that turned into a “Little League home run” after a Hoquiam throwing error allowed Eisele to cross the plate, putting the Cats up 16-3.

Aberdeen reliever Chad Fretts worked around a leadoff hit batsman to Hoquiam’s Dominic Standstipher to retire the side and end the game in five innings, earlier than the Grizzlies had hoped.

“Our guys did a great job this offseason of making sure we hit the ground running,” Aberdeen head coach Layne Bruner said of his team’s prolific offense. “I’m just really proud of them. They put the work in and were ready to hit.”

Aberdeen starting pitcher Baylor Ainsworth earned the win, allowing three runs – two earned – on four hits with four strikeouts in four innings pitched.

“Baylor settled down and was able to fill it up early in the counts, and it’s hard to hit that way,” Bruner said. “Baylor started to get a little bit better as the game went on. He got a little more comfortable and because of that, it transfers over to the defense.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen starting pitcher Baylor Ainsworth picked up the victory in a 16-3 win over Hoquiam on Thursday in Hoquiam.

Montoure took the loss, allowing three earned runs on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 1 1-3 innings pitched.

“It was difficult for our pitchers to get into a groove because we couldn’t really warm them up. They went right from the field to the mound,” explained Hoquiam head coach Steve Jump, adding his hurlers were on a very limited pitch count due to an upcoming league doubleheader on Saturday. “It doesn’t allow a pitcher to get into a groove. … It was just one of those things.”

Jump added his team’s three errors proved costly, extending innings and allowing Bobcat base runners to advance.

“We needed to have that big two-out play to close the door a little bit, and it seemed that we’d do pretty good then let the door open and they’d capitalize with runs,” he said. “(In the third inning) we gave them two extra outs and those extra outs probably led to six or seven runs.”

Aberdeen’s offense belted four extra-base hits, with Eisele (3-3, 2 3B, 3R, 4 RBI) and Trevon Ramos (3-3, 2R, RBI) leading the way with three hits apiece.

Hoquiam had four hits in the game, with Zander Jump, Standstipher, Montoure and Shumate collecting one hit apiece.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam’s Tristin Bland, right, congratulates Chase Shumate after Shumate scored a run during a 16-3 loss to Aberdeen on Thursday in Hoquiam.

Coach Jump said the message to his team after the tough loss was “we’re moving on.”

“We are excited about this year and this group of kids,” he said. “They’re down because they lost, but I thought it was a great learning experience. … Going in against Elma, it’s about cleaning up our defense a little bit, staying aggressive at the plate and taking pride in that 1-2-3 inning on defense. We’ve got to get out of those big innings or that will be our nemesis.”

Hoquiam hosts Elma for a twin bill starting at noon on Saturday.

Aberdeen hosts Centralia in a 2A Evergreen Conference game at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Pioneer Park.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen celebrates after recording the final out of a 16-3 mercy-rule victory over Hoquiam on Thursday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

Aberdeen 307 60 – 16 16 2

Hoquiam 210 00 – 3 4 3

WP: Ainsworth (4 IP, 3R, 2ER, 4K). LP: Montoure (1.1 IP, 3R, 3ER, 3H, 3K, BB).

Leading hitters: Aberdeen – Eisele (3-3, 2 3B, 3R, 4 RBI); Ramos (3-3, 2R, RBI); Jones (2-3, 2R); Mathews (2-4, 2R, RBI); Baker (2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI); Schreiber (1-3, 2B, 2R, RBI); Ancich (1-4, R, 2RBI); Ainsworth (1-4, R, RBI); Hill (1-1). Hoquiam – Montoure (1-3, 2RBI); Jump (1-3, R); Standstipher (1-2); Shumate (1-2, R).

Montesano 10, Black Hills 7

Despite being outhit by a wide margin, Montesano picked up a 10-7 victory on the road over Black Hills on Thursday in Tumwater.

The Bulldogs (2-1) scored four runs in the top of the first without a base hit as Black Hills had three errors, two walks, two hit batters and a balk in the frame.

But six of the first seven Wolves batters reached base in the bottom of the first, with Black Hills eventually taking a 5-4 lead on a two-run single by Hunter Venable.

Monte tied the game when Jaxson Wilson scored on a wild pitch in the top of the second and took the lead for good with a five-run third, taking advantage of four walks, an error, a two-run sacrifice bunt and RBI hits from Zach Timmons and Wilson in the inning.

Bulldogs reliever Skylar Bove picked up the win, allowing two runs – none earned – on five hits with four strikeouts in 2 2-3 innings pitched.

John Griffin picked up the save, holding the Wolves scoreless on three hits with four strikeouts in four innings pitched.

Wilson led Monte’s offensive effort, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored.

Despite being outhit 11-4 in the game, the Bulldogs drew eight walks in the game and took advantage of six Black Hills errors.

Monte hosts Eatonville in a 1A Evergreen League game starting at noon on Saturday.

Montesano 415 000 0 – 10 4 3

Black Hills 502 000 0 – 7 11 6

WP: Bove (2.2 IP, 2R, 0ER, 5H, 4K). LP: Wimsett (IP, 5R, ER, 3H, 4BB).

Leading hitters: Montesano – Wilson (2-5, 3R, RBI); Timmons (1-4, 2R, RBI); Poler (1-5, R); Peterson (0-2, R, RBI, BB); Grubb (0-2, R, 2RBI, 2BB). Black Hills – Venable (2-4, 2B, 3RBI); Lynch (2-3, R). Pate (1-4, R, 2RBI); Baker (1-2, R, RBI).