Montesano ended a tough two-game skid in a big way, blasting seven extra-base hits en route to a 12-6 win over Elma on Thursday in Elma.

Montesano (10-4 overall, 4-2 1A Evergreen) wasted little time in getting to Elma starter Aaleigha Weld, taking a 1-0 lead on a double by catcher Alisyn Parkin followed by a two-run home run off the bat of first baseman Kylee Wisdom.

The Bulldogs extended their lead in the top of the second on three walks, a hit batter and four singles, the final coming off the bat of outfielder Liv Robinson to score Addi Potts for a 9-0 lead.

Parkin stepped to the dish with one out in the third and belted Elma reliever Madison Monroe’s 0-1 pitch over the right-field fence for a solo home run, staking Monte to a 10-0 lead.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano catcher Alisyn Parkin belts a solo home run during the Bulldogs’ 12-6 victory over Elma on Thursday in Elma.

“I’ve been struggling at the plate lately and there were runners on base and I knew I had to do this not just for me, but for my team because they are doing things for me,” Parkin said. “I just tried to stay more relaxed than I usually am. … There are those one you just know (they are going out) but that one, I didn’t know. I tried to run as hard as I could and I heard everybody cheering and I thought, ‘Oh, that went out.’ It felt really good to come out of a little bit of a slump. We won and everybody did really good at the plate.”

Elma (8-5, 4-3) responded with three runs off Monte starter Grace Gooding in the bottom of the third on a Madison Monroe triple to score sister Mia Monroe and Emmie Spencer followed by a Brooklyne Swarts sacrifice fly.

The Eagles crept closer when Spencer drove in a run with a single in the fourth to cut the deficit to 10-4.

Monte responded when second baseman Jordan Karr scored on a passed ball in the top of the fifth followed by Elma’s Delayne Hanson singling home Swarts to make it an 11-5 game entering the sixth.

The Bulldogs went up 12-5 when Ember Jones drove in Karr with a fielder’s choice ground out in the seventh.

Swarts doubled in a run in the bottom half of the seventh, but Gooding retired the final three batters she faced to secure a 12-6 win for Montesano.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano starter Grace Gooding throws a pitch during the Bulldogs’ 12-6 victory over Elma on Thursday in Elma.

“We all worked really hard, off and on the field, just to get this win,” Parkin said of the victory. “We’re all working together and I feel like once we are together, we work really hard and do really good.”

The top half of Monte’s order did the bulk of the damage. Robinson, Karr, Parkin and Wisdom went a combined 11-for-18 with two home runs, eight runs scored and eight runs driven in.

Karr went 4-for-5 with four runs scored while Parkin (3-3, HR, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI) and Wisdom (2-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI) provided plenty of pop.

Elma head coach Ashley Stancil said while her team scored runs and played solid defense – particularly from third baseman Nicole Johanson and shortstop Spencer – the early hole was too much to dig out of.

“If we get rid of that one inning, it’s a different game,” Stancil said, eluding to Monte’s six-run second. “My girls didn’t quit the entire time and I definitely think there is a lot of improvement since the last time we played them. … We had some girls get up today and really crush the ball – some girls who had really been struggling in the box – so I think those slumps are pretty much over.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma’s Callie Galligan dives back safely to first as Montesano’s Kylee Wisdom applies a tag during the Bulldogs’ 12-6 victory on Thursday in Elma.

Stancil added her team completed one of its goals coming into the game regarding how to deal with adversity.

“They played had and did make some mistakes but they came back from them,” she said. “That was our biggest goal today. … If you make a mistake, come back and make the next play and don’t let your teammates down. They did a great job of that.”

The win snaps a tough two-game streak for Monte that saw the Bulldogs throw away a seventh-inning lead in a loss to Hoquiam followed by being on the wrong end of a 10-0 thrashing to 4A Puyallup.

According to Montesano head coach Pat Pace, Thursday’s win helped get Monte back on track.

“For us, this was key to get that monkey off our back,” he said. “Last year at this time, we came here and had a big lead and ended up losing, and our losses continued from that point on to the end of the season. So for us, I think that was a mental hurdle we just jumped right there. I credit our girls for coming out and winning those first four innings. … It was a good battle.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano senior Jordan Karr collects a base hit during the Bulldogs’ 12-6 victory over Elma on Thursday in Elma.

“On Monday, we were disapointed and we wanted to come back and wanted to win,” Parkin said of the team’s mentality after losing two straight. “I feel like all of us have fire under our feet right now and we want that state title.”

Montesano sits a half-game ahead of Elma for second place in the 1A Evergreen League and will face Timberline in a non-league game slated for 5:30 p.m. Friday in Montesano.

Elma will be back in action at 4 p.m. Thursday against league-leading Hoquiam in Elma.

Montesano 361 010 1 – 12 13 2

Elma 003 110 1 – 6 8 1

WP: Gooding (7 IP, 6 R, 4 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 6 K). LP: Weld (1.1 IP, 9 R, 7 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K).

Leading hitters: Montesano – Karr (4-5, 3B, 2B, 4 R); Parkin (3-3, HR, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI); Wisdom (2-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI); Robinson (2-5, R, RBI); Timmons (1-4, 2B); Potts (1-3, R). Elma – Galligan (2-4, 2B); Hanson (2-3, RBI); Spencer (2-4, R, RBI); Mia Monroe (1-4, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI); Swarts (1-3, 2B, R).

Ocosta 25, Winlock 4

Ocosta capitalized on Winlock mistakes to earn a 25-4 victory in four innings in the first game of a non-league doubleheader on Thursday in Winlock.

The Wildcats (12-4) took a 7-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back, blowing the game open with 11 runs in the third and adding another seven runs in the fourth.

Ocosta’s offense had eight hits and drew six walks while benefiting from a sloppy Cardinals defense, which committed 13 errors in the game.

Winlock pitchers combined to hit nine Wildcats batters in the contest.

Ocosta’s Jessie Gilbert went 3-for-3 with a triple, four runs scored and five RBI to lead the Cats offense.

Joanah Rosander picked up the win, allowing one earned run on two hits and four walks with three strikeouts in four innings of work.

Ocosta 70(11) 7 – 25 8 3

Winlock 130 0 – 4 2 13

WP: Rosander (4 R, ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K). LP: Gahan (3 IP, 18 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 3 K).

Leading hitters: Ocosta – Gilbert (3-3, 3B, 4 R, 5 RBI); Olive (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI); Cuzdey (1-5, 3 R, 4 RBI); Scheuber (1-4, 2B, RBI); G. Ness (1-3, 3 R, RBI); S. Schlegel (0-2, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB); Rosander (0-2, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB). Winlock – Goodrich (1-3, 3B, R); Gahan (1-3, 2 RBI).

Ocosta 10, Winlock 0

Ocosta got another stellar pitching performance from all-state candidate Jessie Gilbert in a 10-0 win over Winlock in the nightcap.

Gilbert dazzled once again in the circle, allowing one hit, no walks with 14 strikeouts in pitching a five-inning shutout.

The Ocosta sophomore right-hander was equally as impressive at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple and four RBI.

Ocosta got seven hits from six different players and played error-free softball to complete the twin-bill sweep.

The Wildcats host Naselle for a non-league contest scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday.

Winlock 000 00 – 0 1 1

Ocosta 230 05 – 10 7 0

WP: Gilbert (5 IP, H, 0 R, 14 K). LP: Rohman (4 IP, 5 R, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K).

Leading hitters: Winlock – Rohman (1-2, 2B). Ocosta – Gilbert (2-3, HR, 3B, R, 4 RBI); Rasmus (1-2, 3B, R, 2 RBI); S. Schlegel (1-3, R); Rosander (1-2, 3 R); Rasmus (1-2, 3B, R, 2 RBI); J. Schlegel (1-3, R).

Other scores

Raymond-South Bend 22, Chief Leschi 1

Raymond-South Bend 19, Chief Leschi 0

Forks 19, North Beach 0

North Beach 12, Forks 1