Softball Roundup: Pe Ell-Willapa Valley continues to roll, hammers Ilwaco in softball sweep

Also: Montesano outdueled in loss to Nooksack Valley

By Ryan Sparks • April 17, 2022 10:00 pm
ERIC TRENT | THE CHRONICLE PWV pitcher Olivia Matlock delivers, seen here in a file photo, pitched a perfect four innings to lead PWV to a 15-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader against Ilwaco on Saturday in South Bend.
ERIC TRENT | THE CHRONICLE PWV pitcher Olivia Matlock delivers, seen here in a file photo, pitched a perfect four innings to lead PWV to a 15-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader against Ilwaco on Saturday in South Bend.

The offensive juggernaut that is the Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans softball team continued hammering opponents over the weekend.

The Titans smashed 15 hits in four innings to make quick work of their latest victim, the Ilwaco Fishermen, with a 16-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday in South Bend.

PWV (8-2 overall, 8-0 2B Pacific) scored six runs in the first, capped by a two-run home run by Payton Peterson.

The top of the Titans lineup was relentless as Lauren Matlock, Merissa Frasier, Olivia Matlock and Raegan Portmann went a combined 9-for-13 with seven runs scored, 10 RBI and seven extra-base hits.

PWV starter and reigning Pacific League MVP Olivia Matlock did the rest, throwing four perfect innings, striking out eight with no walks on 47 pitches.

“Raegan Portmann was moved from leadoff last year to our four hitter and has just been so consistent for us,” PWV head coach Ken Olson said. “Her replacement for that leadoff spot, Lauren Matlock, has taken that spot and run with it. Very impressive for a kid so young.”

Ilwaco 000 0 — 0 0 0

PWV 633 3 — 15 15 0

Ilwaco — LP – Emma Grace Frame (3 IP, 10H, 12R, 10ER, K, 2BB).

PWV — L. Matlock (3-3, 2 2B, 3B, 3R, RBI), Frasier (2-3, 2B, 2R, 3RBI), O. Matlock (2-4, 2B, 3RBI), Portmann (2-3, 3B, 2R, 3RBI), Peterson (1-1, HR, 2R, 2RBI), Channell (1-1, 2B, R), Shannon (1-2, 2B, RBI), Hodel (1-2, R, RBI). WP — O. Matlock (4 IP, 0R, 0H, 8K).

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley coach Ken Olson, seen here in a file photo, talks to Payton Peterson in a game on April 1. Peterson homered to help the Titans sweep a doubleheader against Ilwaco on Saturday in South Bend.

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley coach Ken Olson, seen here in a file photo, talks to Payton Peterson in a game on April 1. Peterson homered to help the Titans sweep a doubleheader against Ilwaco on Saturday in South Bend.

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 17, Ilwaco 0

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley kept the pedal to the metal in picking up a three-inning 17-0 win in the nightcap on Saturday.

“No let up in the second game of the doubleheader,” said Olson, whose team smashed 17 hits and got a no-hit pitching performance from starter Dani Shannon. “I really thought Dani Shannon was sharp on the mound and certainly gives us a one-two punch on the mound this year. What I really enjoy seeing is that our defense has been very solid. It is real easy to get complacent with our pitchers doing what they are doing.”

Shannon struck out six with three walks and was staked to a big lead after the Titans opened the game with 10 runs in the top of the first inning.

In the frame, Olivia Matlock opened the scoring with a two-run home run and the Titans got two-run triples from both Grace Huber and Lauren Matlock.

Olivia Matlock also doubled home her sister Lauren to give her three RBI in the half-inning.

PWV scored seven runs in the second, highlighted by consecutive triples by Payton Peterson, Jillian Hodel and Lauren Matlock.

“We had another solid outing, with no let down and came away with a couple wins,” said Olson, adding the game was moved to South Bend’s turf field due to field conditions.

PWV faces South Bend in a doubleheader scheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday in South Bend.

PWV (10)70 — 17 17 0

Ilwaco 000 — 0 0 0

PWV — Portmann (3-3, 2 2B, 2R, RBI), Hodel (3-3, 3B, 2R), O. Matlock (2-2, HR, 2B, 3R, 3RBI), L. Matlock (2-3, 2 3b, 2R, 3RBI), Shannon (2-2, 2R), Peterson (2-2, 3B, 2R, 2RBI), Bush (1-2, R, 2RBI), Huber (1-1, 3B, 2R, 2RBI), Engel (1-1). WP – Shannon (3 IP, 0R, 0H, 6K, 3BB).

Ilwaco — LP – Cadinha (2 IP, 15H, 17ER, 6BB).

Nooksack Valley 2, Montesano 1

An outstanding pitching effort was spoiled as Montesano fell to Nooksack Valley 2-1 on Saturday in Montesano.

The Bulldogs (3-6 overall) were locked in a pitcher’s duel against the Pioneers (11-1), which are ranked No. 5 in the WIAA RPI poll.

Montesano’s Riley Timmons and Nooksack’s Jordyn Relethford dominated opposing offenses, with each team recording three hits apiece.

Monte took the lead by manufacturing a run in the bottom of the fifth. Jordan Karr led off the inning by reaching on an error and advanced to second on a single by Kylee Fairbairn. Madi Campbell advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, putting runners on second and third with one out. Liv Robinson stepped to the plate and singled on a bunt to third, scoring Karr for a 1-0 lead.

But in the top of the sixth, the Pioneers got to Timmons, tying the game on a two-out RBI single off the bat of America Oettel.

In the top of the eighth, Nooksack Valley scored the eventual game-winning run when Ellie VanBerkum crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice.

Relethford struck out the side to hand Montesano its second loss in as many days.

Relethford struck out 16 with one walk to pick up the win.

Timmons took the loss despite holding one of the state’s top teams to an earned run on three hits, two walks with 11 strikeouts.

Montesano will host Elma at 3 p.m. on Tuesday for an East County Civil War doubleheader.

Nooksack Valley 000 001 01 — 2 3 2

Montesano 000 010 00 — 1 3 1

NV — Oettel (1-3, RBI), Relethford (1-4). WP – Relethford (8 IP, 3H, R, 16K, BB).

Montesano — K. Fairbairn (2-3), Robinson (1-2, RBI). LP – Timmons (8 IP, 3H, 2R, ER, 11K, 2BB).