The 1A District 4 Baseball Tournament opened on Monday with two East County Schools hoping for postseason glory.
PREP BASEBALL
1A District 4 Tournament
Montesano 12, Castle Rock 2
Montesano opened its defense of the 1A District 4 title with a 12-2 five-inning victory over Castle Rock on Monday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.
The top-ranked Bulldogs (20-2 overall) had a shaky start in the top of the first inning as the Trico League No. 4 seed Rockets (4-16) scored two in the frame thanks to a hit batter, an error, a passed ball and three consecutive singles.
But Montesano freshman starting pitcher Caden Grubb settled in after that, allowing just one hit and two walks over the next four innings.
“We just had to remind the guys it’s a long game and there is a lot of baseball left to play,” Monte head coach Mike Osgood said of his words to the team after the first inning. “We had to be true to who we are and how we got to this point. Don’t change anything. … Play small ball. Get bunts down and put pressure on the other team.”
The Bulldogs did just that to take the lead for good in the bottom of the second. And Monte did it by simply putting the ball in play and capitalizing on Rockets mistakes.
Third baseman Toren Crites was hit by a pitch to leadoff the frame followed by a walk to Cam Taylor. Right fielder Tyler Johansen then singled to load the bases.
Monte first baseman Kole Kjesbu followed with a precise bunt hit up the third-base line. Crites raced home to score and cut the Rockets lead in half at 2-1.
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano first baseman Kole Kjesbu connects with a pitch during a 12-2 win over Castle Rock in a 1A District 4 first-round game on Monday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.
Center fielder Tyson Perry then blooped a single to short left field, allowing Taylor to score and tie the game.
Johansen scored on a wild pitch to give the Bulldogs the lead followed by a Bode Poler RBI double to put Monte up 4-2.
Later in the inning, Perry scored on a passed ball followed by Poler crossing the plate on an error off a Jaxson Wilson bunt, putting Monte up 7-2.
After the Rockets’ third error of the frame on a short pop fly behind third base by catcher Colton Grubb extended the inning, Wilson scored on a Crites sacrifice fly for an 8-2 lead.
Monte would earn the mercy-rule victory in the fifth. Johansen led off the frame with a walk and came in to score on a wild pitch. Perry then laced a run-scoring double to left followed by a Poler RBI triple for an 11-2 lead.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano senior shortstop Bode Poler, right, gets a fist bump from head coach Mike Osgood after hitting a two-run triple in a 12-2 win over Castle Rock in a 1A District 4 Tournament game on Monday in Hoquiam.
Zach Timmons then sent a fly ball to right that was deep enough to allow Poler to cross the plate with the game-ending run.
Poler led the Monte with three hits.
Caden Grubb earned the win, allowing two runs – one earned – on four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in pitching all five innings. Grubb threw 51 strikes out of 74 pitches (69%) and threw a first-pitch strike to 16 of the 21 batters he faced (76%).
“I think we might have been a little bit cocky at the start,” Caden Grubb said. “After the first inning, we focused in and the offense came through and we did our jobs, like we normally do. … It takes me a little bit to settle in. I just had to tell myself to stay calm and that it’s going to be OK.”
“I don’t know if that first inning was just freshman nerves,” Osgood said of Caden Grubb’s performance on the bump. “We’re a pretty heavy senior team here and he didn’t want to go out there and let his seniors down. He went out there and competed. It’s probably the deepest he’s gone in a game this year for us. … He did really well and it’s just what we needed from him to get ready for tomorrow.”
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano senior Jaxson Wilson rounds second base during a 12-2 win over Castle Rock in a 1A District 4 first-round game on Monday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.
“After the first inning, I went into the dugout and said, ‘It’s just one inning,’” Catcher Colton Grubb said of the conversation he had with his brother. “‘Just go out there and be you like it’s always been. Kick your leg up high and finish strong,’ and he did that. I think that’s why he did so well.”
With Grubb pitching all five innings for Monte, the Bulldogs were able to rest their relievers heading into a quarterfinal matchup against Seton Catholic at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in Hoquiam, with the winner punching a ticket to the state tournament.
“Cam (Taylor) will start tomorrow and having Skylar (Bove) and John (Griffin) in relief is huge for us,” Osgood said. “We thought we would have to burn one of those guys today, but the offense picked up Caden the last couple innings and shortened this game up. That keeps John and Skylar both alive for relief tomorrow and we’re going to need them.”
Castle Rock 200 00 – 2 4 3
Montesano 080 04 – 12 7 1
WP: Cad. Grubb (5 IP, 2R, ER, 4H, 2BB, 8K). LP: Williams (IP, 6R, 6ER, 3H, BB, K).
Leading hitters: Castle Rock – Rogen (2-3); Neighbors (1-2, RBI); Kerker (1-2). Montesano – Poler (3-3, 3B, 2B, 2R, 2RBI); Perry (2-3, 2B, 2R, 3RBI); Kjesbu (1-3, 2R, RBI); Johansen (1-2, 2R); Wilson (0-1, R, RBI).
Seton Catholic 10, Elma 3
If the Elma Eagles are to reach the state tournament, they will have to do so out of the elimination bracket after a 10-3 loss to Seton Catholic in a 1A District 4 Tournament first-round game on Monday in Castle Rock.
Elma (11-9) took the early lead when pitcher Brody Palmer led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore outfielder Isaac McGaffey, and moved to third on a TJ Dunlap single. Palmer eventually came in to score on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Trico second-seed Seton Catholic (16-5) scored four runs in the first on two singles, a double, a passed ball and three walks.
Elma scratched across a run in the third when Palmer came in to score on a McGaffey sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
But the big inning bit Elma again in the bottom of the fourth as three walks, three singles and an error led to six runs, staking the Cougars to a comfortable 10-2 lead.
With one out in the sixth, Elma left fielder Eastin Wright walked and advanced to third on a double by first baseman Grant Vessey. Jack Alexander pushed Wright across with a sacrifice fly for Elma’s third and final run of the game.
Seton Catholic staring pitcher Jack Williams and reliever Lucas Peterson held the Eagles to just three hits in the game, meaning the Eagles had to make the most of the six free passes surrendered by Cougars pitchers.
With the loss, the Eagles face Castle Rock in an elimination game at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.
Elma 101 001 0 – 3 3 1
Seton Catholic 400 600 x – 10 6 1
WP: Williams (6 IP, 3R, 2ER, 3H, 6BB, 5K). LP: Palmer (3.1 IP, 8R, 6ER, 5H, 6BB, 7K).
Leading hitters: Elma – Vessey (1-3, 2B); Palmer (1-3, 2R, 3 SB); Dunlap (1-4, SB). Seton Catholic – Wieczorek (2-4, 2R); Ruelas (1-4, 2B, R, 2RBI); Nebels (1-2, 2R); Peterson (1-3, R, RBI); Ackerman (1-3, R).
Other tournament games
Tenino 9, King’s Way Christian 2
La Center 11, Eatonville 1
