Entering Friday’s non-league matchup of two top Twin Harbors teams, the Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans had been on a roll, winning five of their past six games.

Hoquiam’s Carron Blood put a stop to that.

Blood dominated in the circle, handcuffing the Titans en route to a 5-0 win at John Gable Park in Hoquiam.

The Grizzlies ace right-hander was on her A-game from the start, striking out two batters in each of the first three innings to set the tone.

“Everything has been working for me lately and I’ve been practicing a lot,” Blood said of her league MVP-worthy performance. “I felt a lot of confidence. I think that’s the No. 1 goal, especially going up against a good team like that. You have to have confidence to step up and just throw it. … I think the sun kind of helped me a little bit because my arm was all warm.”

PWV freshman Lauren Emery was nearly just as good, holding red-hot Hoquiam – which entered the game with a nine-game win streak – scoreless over the first two frames while not allowing a baserunner.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Pe Ell-Willapa Valley pitcher Lauren Emery throws a pitch during a 5-0 loss to Hoquiam on Friday in Hoquiam.

But the Titans (6-4 overall) ran into trouble in the third due to what would turn out to be multiple critical errors.

With one out and nobody on, right fielder DeVona Sansaver singled and was followed by two consecutive PWV errors, loading the bases for Blood.

The Grizzlies star made PWV pay, driving Emery’s 1-0 pitch off the center-field wall, clearing the bases for a three-run double.

Blood said she was looking to be aggressive at the plate.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Hit the first pitch if it’s anything close.’ I fouled off the first one and the second (pitch) came inside a little low and I hit it the best I can. It actually worked and I was happy it did.”

The Grizzlies (11-4) weren’t done.

Slugging catcher Faith Prosch followed with a double to drive in Hoquiam’s fourth run of the frame.

Grizzlies outfielder Ashlinn Cady then singled to put Hoquiam up 5-0, with all five runs being unearned.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam shortstop Graci Bonney-Spradlin collects a base hit during a 5-0 win over Pe Ell-Willapa Valley on Friday in Hoquiam.

“I think we were a little flat today,” PWV head coach Eric Hopfer said. “(Blood) definitely did a great job of keeping us off-balance. … Our bigger hitters just could not find gaps.”

That was more than enough support for Blood, who resembled her all-state tournament team form from last season, pinpointing her pitches with adept control from the first batter on. Blood allowed three singles and didn’t walk a batter while striking out 10 in earning the complete-game shutout victory.

“She pitched great and had four pitches going,” Hoquiam head coach Keith Reynvaan said, noting the effectiveness of Blood’s repertoire, particularly her high fastball, slow curve and screwball. “I wasn’t afraid to call any of them on any count. She just did a great job of going inside and outside, keeping them off-balance. That’s the best she’s pitched all year.”

Hoquiam’s defense also played well, committing just one error while making several difficult plays look routine, including a running catch near the left-field foul pole by Cady to end the top half of the sixth.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam left fielder Ashlinn Cady runs down a fly ball during a 5-0 win over Pe Ell-Willapa Valley on Friday at John Gable Park in Hoquiam.

While the victory has no effect on either team’s standings in their respective leagues, both coaches acknowledged the importance of facing top pitchers at this point of the season.

“Our schedule is based upon pitching. We want to see good pitching for our offense,” Hopfer said. “Seeing Hoquiam, going up to Auburn, and everything we’ve seen, … It’s more or less what we want to look at, is to see good pitchers.”

“It really helps a lot,” Blood said of facing a program the caliber of PWV, the defending 2B State champions. “In the future, we are going to have hard teams like that with fast pitchers. … I’m really excited we get to play teams like them because they are really good and make us challenge ourselves to get better.”

Hoquiam sits two games ahead of Montesano and 2.5 games up on Elma entering the final week of the regular season.

The Grizzlies will take on Tenino at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Hoquiam.

The Titans sit in a tie for second place with Forks, one game behind 2B Pacific League leader Raymond-South Bend.

PWV will host North Bend in a doubleheader scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Monday.

On Tuesday, the Titans will face Raymond-South Bend in a key league twin bill at Cheney Park in Raymond.

First pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 000 000 0 – 0 3 2

Hoquiam 005 000 0 – 5 6 1

WP: Blood (7 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 10 K). LP: Emery (7 IP, 5 R, 0 ER, 6 H, 9 K).

Leading hitters: PWV – Hodel (1-3); Peterson (1-3); Channell (1-3). Hoquiam – Cady (2-3, RBI); Blood (1-3, 2 B, R, 3 RBI); Prosch (1-3, 2B, R, RBI); Sansaver (1-2, R).

Montesano 6, Timberline 3

Montesano’s speed proved vital in earning a 6-3 non-league victory over 3A Timberline on Friday in Montesano.

The Bulldogs (11-4) used its team speed to take extra bases and manufacture runs en route to the victory.

Monte tied the game at 1-1 when Ember Jones reached on a bunt single and quickly stole second base.

With two outs and Alexa Stanfield at the plate, Jones stole third. Stanfield then laid down a bunt that died a few feet in front of plate. Blazers catcher Tori Trotter pounced on the ball and threw to first. Jones – who delayed her run home – then took off for home and scored as Trotter’s throw to first was late, giving Stanfield Monte’s second bunt single of the game.

In the bottom of the third, Montesano’s speed proved clutch once again, this time with all-league first team candidate Liv Robinson providing the spark.

Leading off the fourth, Robinson – a speedy left-handed slap hitter – smacked Jasmyn Polanco’s 1-2 pitch over the drawn-in left fielder. Robinson turned on the afterburners, racing around the bases to slide in safely at home with an inside-the-park home run, putting Monte up 2-1.

The Bulldogs then manufactured a run in the fourth. Kylee Wisdom led off with a walk with pinch-runner Kaitlyn Trail replacing Wisdom on the base paths. Trail stole second and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Carsyn Wintrip then bunted Trail home for a 3-1 lead.

In the sixth inning, Timmons drove in Addi Kersker with a squeeze bunt with Jones racing around from second to score after an errant Blazers throw.

One batter later, Stanfield put Monte up 6-1 with another bunt single, the Bulldogs’ fourth of the game.

After allowing a run in the first, Timmons was cruising along until running into trouble in the seventh, allowing two runs including an RBI single off the bat of Kassidy Jack.

But Monte was able to close out the game when catcher Alisyn Parkin gunned down Jack on a steal attempt at second base, securing the 6-3 non-league victory.

Timmons allowed one earned run on six hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts to pick up the complete-game victory.

Polanco took the loss for Timberline (9-3), allowing five earned runs on seven hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts.

Montesano sits in second place in the 1A Evergreen League and will play at Eatonville at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Timberline 100 000 2 – 3 6 1

Montesano 011 103 x – 6 7 2

WP: Timmons (7 IP, 3R, ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 10 K). LP: Polanco (6 IP, 6 R, 5 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 12 K).

Leading hitters: Timberline – Jack (3-4, RBI); Wilson (2-4, 2B, 2 R); Polanco (1-4). Montesano – Stanfield (3-3, 2 RBI); Robinson (1-3, HR, R, RBI); Kersker (1-3, R); Jones (1-2, 2R); Timmons (1-2, RBI).

ALEC DIETZ | THE CHRONICLE Lilly Camp throws a pitch during Aberdeen’s 5-3 loss at Tumwater on Friday in Tumwater.

Tumwater 5, Aberdeen 3

Aberdeen saw a close game slip away late in a 5-3 loss to Tumwater on Friday in Tumwater.

The Bobcats (8-6, 5-3 2A Evergreen) trailed 2-0 before tying the game on RBI singles by Aili Scott and Alyssa Yakovich in the top of the third inning.

Tumwater (9-6, 7-2) regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, the backbreaker coming on a two-run double off the bat of Zoe Fields.

Aberdeen scored a run when Britten Neal stole home in the sixth, but Tumwater pitcher Ella Ferguson struck out Bobcats slugger Lilly Camp to end the threat.

Ferguson retired the side in the seventh to end the game.

Camp took the loss, allowing five earned runs on nine hits with two walks and nine strikeouts.

Scott and Scotlyn Lecomte collected two hits apiece for Aberdeen.

The Bobcats hold a one-game lead over Centralia for third place in the 2A Evergreen League standings.

Aberdeen hosts Tumwater at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Bishop Athletic Complex in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen 002 001 0 – 3 8 1

Tumwater 200 030 x – 5 9 3

WP: Ferguson (7 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 15 K). LP: Camp (6 IP, 5 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 9 K).

Leading hitters: Aberdeen – Scott (2-4, R, RBI); Lecomte (2-3, R); Neal (1-3, 2B, R); A. Yakovich (1-4, RBI); L. Yakovich (1-2). Tumwater – Fields (2-3, 2B, 3 RBI); Watermeyer (2-2, 3B, 2 R, RBI); Haas (2-3, R, RBI); Barrett (1-3, R); Foos (1-3); Schock (1-2, R).

Raymond-South Bend 22, Chief Leschi 1

After not taking the field for approximately two weeks, Raymond-South Bend capitalized on poor Chief Leschi pitching to pick up a 22-1 three-inning victory in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday in Puyallup.

The Ravens (XXX) scored 14 runs in the top of the first inning and eight more in the second to earn the three-inning, mercy-rule victory.

Cadence Swogger and Kassie Koski collected two hits apiece for a Ravens offense that had eight hits and benefited from 12 walks, three hit batters and seven Chief Leschi errors.

“We haven’t played in two weeks and our girls were really excited for our first game back,” RSB head coach Dakota Brooks said. “They attacked every ball and were really aggressive on the bases, exactly what I’ve been asking them to do.”

Raymond-South Bend (14)80 – 22 8 0

Chief Leschi 010 – 1 0 7

WP: Stigall. LP: n/a

Leading hitters: RSB – Ca. Swogger (2-2, 3 R, 2 RBI); R. Morley (1-2, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI); Stigall (1-3, 3B, 3 R, RBI); Ka. Koski (2-3, 2 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI); Glazier (1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI); Ky. Koski (0-0, 4 R, 4 BB, 2 SB).

Raymond-South Bend 20, Chief Leschi 0

Raymond-South Bend completed a doubleheader sweep with a 20-0 win over Chief Leschi in the nightcap.

The Ravens had 10 hits and drew eight walks in their two innings at-bat, led by Kyndal Koski (2-2, 2 2B, 3 R, RBI), Kassie Koski (1-1, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI) and Emma Glazier (1-1, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI), who hit a three-run home run in the RSB 19-run first inning.

Glazier also led the Ravens on defense, throwing out a runner at first on a ground ball from her center field position in the first inning.

“It was an amazing play that she’s been working really hard on achieving,” RSB head coach Dakota Brooks said “I also want to add that Emma has been an amazing leader and teammate. I often see her talking with her teammates about things she notices. It has been really nice to see Emma become a leader and help other teammates out.”

Ashlee Payne earned the win for RSB, allowing no hits while striking out five in three innings of shutout softball.

Chief Leschi 000 – 0 0 2

Raymond-South Bend (19)1x – 20 10 2

WP: Payne (3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 5 K). LP: n/a

Leading hitters: RSB – Ky. Koski (2-2, 2 2B, 3 R, RBI); B. Morley (1-3, 2 R); Glazier (1-1, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI); Pine (1-3, 2B, 2 R); Ka. Koski (1-1, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI); Payne (1-1, 2B, 3 R, RBI).