Aberdeen lost to Tumwater in a key league matchup as we review Thursday’s prep games on the Harbor.

~~~

PREP SOFTBALL

Tumwater 2, Aberdeen 1

For the second time this season, Aberdeen failed to convert on its opportunities en route to a one-run loss to league-rival Tumwater.

On Thursday at the Bishop Athletic Complex in Aberdeen, the Bobcats left eight runners on base en route to a 2-1 loss to the Thunderbirds, likely losing its chance at a 2A Evergreen Conference title in the process.

Aberdeen (11-2 overall, 6-2 2A Evergreen) took the early lead when leadoff hitter Scotlyn Lecomte singled and tagged up on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off the bat of first baseman Maysinn Jones.

Tumwater right fielder Erika Schock threw out Bobcats courtesy runner Kylie Wilson trying to advance to third on the play to limit the damage at one run.

Depsite having the leadoff hitter reach base in four of the game’s seven innings, Aberdeen wouldn’t plate another run, thanks in large part to a Tumwater defense that was on its A-game.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen’s Britten Neal hits a pitch during a 2-1 loss to Tumwater on Thursday at the Bishop Athletic Complex in Aberdeen.

In the second inning, Aberdeen second baseman Ally Adams doubled with one out and was sent home on a two-out single off the bat of Audree Gaddis, but T-Birds center fielder Zoe Fields’ throw home was on the money, cutting down Adams at the plate to end the inning.

Tumwater responded with two runs in the top of the third on a two-out base hit up the middle by Brielle Womach that took a bad hop to skip past Cats shortstop Zoe Vessey.

Aberdeen had a chance to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame after Lecomte led off with a walk and stole second.

Tumwater starting pitcher Sarah Stevens got the next two Bobcats batters out, bringing Aberdeen starting pitcher Lilly Camp to the plate with Lecomte still on second.

On a 2-0 count, Camp dribbled a check-swing, seeing-eye single into right field. Lecomte raced around third and headed for home in hopes of scoring the tying run, but a solid throw home from Schock took out Lecomte, ending another Aberdeen inning on a put-out at home plate.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen’s Scotlyn Lecomte (left) is tagged out by Tumwater catcher Jaime Haase during a 2-1 loss on Thursday at the Bishop Athletic Complex in Aberdeen.

Tumwater ace Ella Ferguson entered for Stevens in the fourth and Aberdeen promptly had two on with no outs after Jones led off with a walk followed by a single from center fielder Riley Hendrickson.

Adams followed with a fielder’s choice ground out that got Jones out on a force at third followed by a Vessey strikeout.

Gaddis then walked to load the bases, but another Aberdeen scoring threat went by the wayside when Lecomte grounded out back to Ferguson to end the inning.

For the second time in as many innings, Aberdeen had two runners on with no outs in the fifth when third baseman Britten Neal singled followed by a walk to catcher Alyssa Yakovich.

But Ferguson recorded the next three outs, striking out Hendrickson to end the inning and keep the score at 2-1.

With two outs and none on in the sixth, Gaddis walked, stole second and advanced to third when Lecomte was safe at first on a fielder’s choice.

Neal then hit a grounder to Chloe Foos at short, who threw over to first to strand two more Bobcats runners.

Ferguson had her cleanest inning with a 1-2-3 seventh to help the T-Birds complete the season sweep over the Bobcats.

“(Tumwater) played a solid game defensively,” Aberdeen head coach Jimmy McDaniel said. “I was trying to be aggresive, sending those girls from third and I thought we really had a chance. Our goal was to be aggressive, but our nemesis is getting the runners in that are on base. … We left quite a few runners on base and it hurt us.”

The loss spoiled another solid outing by Camp, who was charged with one earned run on four hits and two walks with 14 strikeouts.

With the loss, Aberdeen falls a game behind Tumwater (9-2, 7-1) for first place in league.

The Bobcats will need to win out and get some help if they are to enter districts as league champs, but McDaniel said his team has performed well in districts the last few seasons despite not finishing atop a highly-competitive 2A Evergreen League.

“I told the girls to keep their heads up. We’re right there and we’re still a top team in this league,” McDaniel said. “I know they are hurt and upset by it, but I told them to stick with the plan and things will work itself out at the end of the season. … We still consider ourselves the top team in this league, regardless of what the score says. We believe it. I believe it and we’re going to stick with it.”

Tumwater 002 000 0 – 2 4 1

Aberdeen 100 000 0 – 1 6 2

WP: Stevens (3 IP, R, 0ER, 4H, 2BB, 2K). LP: Camp (7 IP, 2R, ER, 4H, 2BB, 14K). SV: Ferguson (4 IP, 0R, 2H, 4BB, 5K).

Leading hitters: Tumwater – Fields (2-3, R); Womach (1-3, 2RBI); Skillman (1-2, R). Aberdeen – Adams (1-3, 2B); Lecomte (1-3, R); Neal (1-4); Camp (1-3); Hendrickson (1-3); Gaddis (1-1).

~~~

Montesano 13, Hoquiam 0

Montesano’s offense stayed hot with a 13-0 win over Hoquiam on Thursday at Gable Park in Hoquiam.

The Bulldogs (13-4, 6-0 1A Evergreen) hammered 17 hits in the game, including two home runs in a four-run top of the fourth inning.

First baseman Kylee Wisdom led off the frame with a solo shot to right while catcher league MVP candidate Ali Parkin blasted a three-run shot to center with two outs to put Monte up 8-0.

The Bulldogs added five runs in the sixth that included RBI singles by Parkin, Grace Gooding and Kennedy Campbell.

Monte had six players finish the game with multiple hits, led by Widsom (3-4, HR, 2R, 3RBI) and shortstop Addi Kersker (3-4, 2R, RBI), who is 12 for 20 (.600) with 10 runs scored over the Bulldogs’ current six-game winning streak.

Freshman pitcher Violet Prince earned the win, allowing two hits and five walks with 11 strikeouts in the six-inning victory.

Hoquiam (1-11, 0-6) was led by Avery Brodhead and Lexi LaBounty with one hit apiece.

Montesano is set to face College Place at noon on Saturday in Montesano.

Hoquiam hosts Tenino in a league game scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday.

Montesano 310 405 – 13 17 0

Hoquiam 000 000 – 0 2 2

WP: Prince (6 IP, 0R, 2H, 5BB, 11K). LP: Burgess (6IP, 13R, 13ER, 17H, 3K).

Leading hitters: Montesano – Wisdom (3-4, HR, 2R, 3RBI); Kersker (3-4, 2R, RBI); Robinson (2-3, 2R, 2 SB); Stanfield (2-3, R); Parkin (2-3, HR, R, 4RBI); Gooding (2-2, RBI); Campbell (1-4, RBI); Wintrip (1-1, R). Hoquiam –Brodhead (1-3); LaBounty (1-3).

~~~

Elma 16, Tenino 5

Elma had no problems getting past Tenino with a 16-5 victory on Thursday in Tenino.

The Eagles (9-4, 4-3 1A Evergreen) scored early and often, smashing 16 hits in the victory.

Elma was led by left fielder Chloe Donais, who had a monster game at the plate. Donais went 4 for 4 with two doubles, three runs scored, two RBI and a solo home run to put Elma up 8-1 in the top of the third inning.

Eagles third baseman Lynsee Bednarik went 3 for 3 with three runs, a pair of RBI and an solo home run in Elma’s seven-run fourth inning.

Pitcher Keira White also had three hits in the game and earned the win, allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in the five-inning, mercy-rule victory.

Elma sits comfortbly in third place in the 1A Evergreen League with the victory.

The Eagles face College Place in a non-league contest set for 2 p.m. on Saturday in Montesano.

Elma 341 71 – 16 16 3

Tenino 103 01 – 5 6 4

WP: White (5 IP, 5R, 2ER, 6H, 2BB, 3K). LP: Grayless (5 IP, 16R, 11ER, 16H, 2BB).

Leading hitters: Elma – Donais (4-4, HR, 2 2B, 3R, 2RBI); Bednarik (3-3, HR, 3R, 2RBI); White (3-4, 2B, R, 2RBI); Murphy (2-4, R, RBI); K. Monroe (2-4, R, RBI); R. Weld (1-5, R, 2RBI); Comer (1-3, R, RBI, SB). Tenino – Fisher (2-3, 2 RBI); SCharber (1-4, 3B); Woodward (1-2, R); Asay (1-2, R, RBI); Gonia (1-3).

~~~

Toledo 11, Raymond-South Bend 10

A run in the final inning spoiled a Raymond-South Bend comeback in the Ravens’ 11-10 loss to Toledo on Thursday in Toledo.

The Ravens (10-2) led 6-1 on a Kassie Koski RBI double in the top of the second inning before falling behind big as the Riverhawks scored nine runs in the bottom of the frame.

Koski drove in Liz Lewis with an RBI groudout for a run in the fourth followed by a three-run seventh inning from the Ravens, highlighted by an RBI triple by standout catcher Ava Pine and tying the game at 10-all when left fielder Macey Enlow scored on a Toledo error.

But the Ravens’ comeback was dashed when Toledo scored a run in the bottom of the seventh on a grounder back to pitcher Summer Stigall, who threw to first for the out.

Toledo’s Kailea Lairson broke for home on Stigall’s throw and beat first baseman Tressa McMullen’s throw to the plate to end the game.

McMullen, Enlow and Berklee Morley had two hits apiece for a Ravens team that had eight different players record a hit in the game.

RSB hosts Chief Leschi in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday in South Bend.

RSB 510 100 3 – 10 11 5

Toledo 190 000 1 – 11 13 1

WP: Holter (IP, 3R, 3ER, 2H, 2BB, 2K). LP: Stigall (6.1 IP, 11R, 7ER, 13H, 4BB, K).

Leading hitters: RSB – McMullen (2-4, 2B, R, 3RBI); Enlow (2-3, 3B, 2B, 2R, RBI); Morley (2-3, R, RBI); Koski (1-3, 2B, R, 2RBI); Pine (1-4, 3B, 2R, RBI); Lewis (1-5, 2R); Houk (1-3, 2RBI); Stigall (1-4). Toledo – Holter (4-5, 3B, 2B, 2R, RBI); Lairson (3-4, 2B, 2R, 2RBI); Miller (1-5, 3B, R, 3RBI); Hurley (1-5, R); Z. Norberg (1-4, R, RBI); Seely (1-4, 3B, R, 2RBI); X. Norberg (1-3, R); Cooper (1-3, R).

~~~