Elma’s offense led the way in a win over Hoquiam as we review Thursday’s Twin Harbors prep softball games.

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PREP SOFTBALL

Elma 19, Hoquiam 6

Elma’s offense hammered the ball in a 19-6 win over Hoquiam on Thursday at Montesano’s Dick Tagman Field.

The Eagles (4-0 overall, 1-0 1A Evergreen) trailed early on after the Grizzlies (0-2, 0-1) scored four runs of Elma starting pitcher Keira White in the top of the first inning, paced by a three-run home run over the center field fence by standout shortstop Lexi LaBounty.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam shortstop Lexi LaBounty belts a three-run home run in the first inning of a 19-6 loss to Elma on Thursday in Montesano.

Elma chipped away with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning on a single by center fielder Mia Monroe and an RBI fielder’s choice ground out by catcher Raelynn Weld.

Elma pitcher Ashlynn Weld pitched a scoreless top of the second to keep the deficit at two runs, which the Eagles offense quickly erased.

The Eagles took a 9-4 on third baseman Lynsee Bednarik’s shot over the center-field wall for a three-run home run, capping off a seven-run inning.

“I was a little bit down on myself and I wasn’t hitting good in the cage (before the game). I was thinking I’m not going to try to hit for a home run. I’m going to try to hit for a line drive. I’m not going to try to hit it out. I’m just going to try to get a base hit and get at least one RBI, nothing big,” said Bednarik, who struck out in her first at-bat of the game. “I actually thought I hit a line drive right over second base. … I saw it bounce right after the fence and I was like, ‘Oh, wow. That wasn’t a little dinker.’ … I was proud of myself because I’ve been very bad about being confident in my hitting, but this definitely brought up my confidence.”

The Grizzlies would trim the Elma lead to 9-6 after LaBounty scored on a wild pitch in the third and catcher Mya Standstipher drove in Avery Brodhead with a double in the fourth.

But the Eagles decided to put any hopes of a Hoquiam comeback to rest in the bottom of the fourth, scoring 10 runs on on 10 hits, including a two-run triple off the bat of Raelynn Weld and run-scoring doubles from center fielder Mia Monroe and Bednarik.

White drove in a run on an RBI groundout early in the frame and capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to drive in Raelynn Weld with Elma’s 19th run of the game.

Ashlynn Weld, who along with her twin sister Raelynn had been ill leading up to the game, pitched a 1-2-3 fifth to secure the 10-run rule victory.

“They came into the game wanting to be loud and wanting to have fun,” Elma head coach Ashley Stancil said “I think that translates when you have a group of girls that want to be here and want to have fun together, whether it’s raining, whether we’re down or whether we’re up.”

Bednarik, Mia Monroe and Raelynn Weld had three hits and four RBI apiece to lead Elma.

The Eagles had 17 hits and 18 total RBI in the game, with five of their runs scored being unearned.

“We have an amazing dugout. Our dugout is very loud and our team is a very loud team,” Bednarik said of Elma’s high-energy sideline chatter. “We’re a very close team and I think that really works. If we were not as close, I don’t think we would be as confident at the plate.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma catcher Raelynn Weld cheers after hitting a double during a 19-6 win over Hoquiam on Thursday in Montesano.

“The coolest part was that it was led by my seniors,” Stancil said of the victory. “This year, we have a group of senior who didn’t know if they had a voice and slowly, through all our rainouts, they started to say, ‘Hey, let’s have fun. Let’s be here. We can’t do anything about the weather.’ It’s always a tell of a good team when they have good leadership.”

LaBounty led Hoquiam, going 2 for 3 with a home run while also making several tough plays look routine from her shortstop position.

“Tough loss to a really strong Elma team,” Hoquiam head coach Brandon Templer said. “Offense started off hot, just couldn’t hang with Elma’s offense and strong pitching. Again, a lot of good things from this young crew.”

The game was moved to Montesano due to the recent rains making the conditions at the Elma Ballfields unfavorable for play.

Hoquiam faces Lynden Christian at 4 p.m. on Friday in Montesano.

Elma hosts Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) at noon on Saturday in Montesano.

Hoquiam 401 10 – 6 5 2

Elma 270 (10)x – 19 17 1

WP: A. Weld (5 IP, 2R, ER, 3H, 3BB, 11K). LP: Burgess (3.1 IP, 16R, 11ER, 13H, 4BB, K).

Leading hitters: Hoquiam – LaBounty (2-3, HR, 2R, 3RBI); Standstipher (1-3, 2B, R, 2RBI); Brodhead (1-1, 2R); Templer (1-2, 2B, R). Elma – Bednarik (3-4, HR, 2B, 2R, 4RBI); Mia Monroe (3-4, 2 2B, 3R, 4RBI); R. Weld (3-4, 3B, 2R, 4RBI); Donais (2-3, R, RBI); A. Weld (1-2, 3R); White (1-3, R, 2RBI); Comer (1-3, 2R); Kish (1-1, R, RBI).

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Adna 22, Raymond-South Bend 1

Raymond-South Bend was on the wrong end of a rout in a 22-1 loss to two-time defending state champion Adna on Thursday in South Bend.

The Ravens (3-1) struggled to get out of the first inning as the first five Pirates reached base en route to a six-run top of the first inning.

RSB trailed 16-0 before breaking the shutout when Ravens third baseman Kassie Koski reach with one-out walk and came in to score on a passed ball in the fifth inning.

Ravens catcher Ava Pine and left fielder Macey Enlow had a hit apiece to lead RSB, which was held to two hits and four walks in the shutout loss.

RSB hosts Ilwaco in a 2B Pacific League doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at South Bend High School.

Adna 626 26 – 22 13 1

RSB 000 10 – 1 2 2

WP: LaFontaine (5 IP, R, 0ER, 3H, 4BB, 9K). LP: Stigall (0 IP, 5R, 5ER, H, BB).

Leading hitters: Adna – Baggenstos (3-3, 4R, 2RBI); Guard (3-3, 3R, SB, 3RBI); Hallom (2-4, HR, 2B, 4R, 5RBI); Carroll (1-3, HR, 2R, 5RBI). RSB – Pine (1-3); Enlow (1-2); Koski (0-1, R, BB).