The Hoquiam Grizzlies coaching staff has stressed to their players the importance of playing good defense and hitting with runners in scoring position in the early going of the 2019 season.

It all came together on Thursday as Hoquiam, led by a standout pitching performance from Tauni Hilliard, defeated Aberdeen 5-1 in the softball version of the Myrtle Street Rivalry on Thursday in Aberdeen.

Hoquiam shortstop Maya Jump, left, gets tangled up with Aberdeen’s Katelynn Smith on a play at second base during Thursday’s game in Aberdeen. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

“When someone gets a hit, it’s kind of contagious,” Hoquiam head coach Keith Reynvaan said. “We got some guys on base and got them around. We only had two innings (in which we scored), but that was enough.”

Aberdeen took an early 1-0 lead as Sierra Hammond, who reached on a one-out single, scored on Bobcats’ pitcher Jaylyn McDaniel’s RBI sacrifice fly.

Hoquiam (2-1 overall) was able to overcome the one-run deficit with three straight run-scoring hits in the top of the fourth inning.

The Grizzlies’ ReyLynn Dunn tied the game at 1-1 with a run-scoring double and was chased home when Kaylee Bagwell followed with a double of her own on McDaniel’s very next pitch.

Hoquiam wasn’t done as senior Jade Cox followed with a base hit, scoring Dunn for a 3-1 Grizzlies lead.

That was more than enough run support for Hilliard, who allowed a one out double to Aberdeen first baseman Kacie Powell in the sixth inning, but was able to pitch around it to keep the Bobcats off the scoreboard.

Aberdeen first baseman Kacie Powell smacks a double to center field during the Bobcats’ 5-1 loss to Hoquiam on Thursday at the Bishop Sports Complex. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

“When I have my defense behind me and I know that they are there, it makes me feel more secure,” Hilliard said.

Hilliard was able to help herself out with a two-out RBI single to give the Grizzlies a 4-1 lead in the top of the seventh.

Junior infielder Abbi Spradlin followed with a run-scoring single to provide Hoquiam with some insurance at 5-1.

When Hoquiam’s bats weren’t busy providing run support for Hilliard, the Grizzlies defense gobbled up whatever the Aberdeen offense threw at them.

Hoquiam committed no errors in a game where Aberdeen consistently put the ball in play. The Grizzlies’ defense not only made the routine plays, but the spectacular, including a diving catch by sophomore Hailey Lawrence in right field to take away a base hit from Aberdeen’s Ally Troseth.

Hoquiam right fielder Hailey Lawrence makes a diving catch in the third inning against Aberdeen on Thursday. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

“We were just more connected tonight I think because of the rivalry,” Hilliard said. “It’s a little different and you’re kind of hyped up a little bit more. Plus, we’re pretty close friends with the Aberdeen girls, so it’s a pretty fun game to play.”

Aberdeen head coach Scott Wilson liked the competitiveness he saw from his players, but said they have to work on refining their game when they start their league schedule on Monday against Black Hills.

“We hit the ball hard, we just hit it at people,” Wilson said. “We’ve got to shore up some things on defense, obviously. … You know, it’s still early. The kids are still working hard at practice and getting better everyday and that’s all I can ask out of them.”

Hilliard tossed a c0mplete game, allowing the one earned run on seven hits with two strikeouts.

McDaniel took the loss, giving up five earned runs on five nine hits with five strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

Hoquiam 000 300 2 — 5 9 0

Aberdeen 100 000 0 — 1 7 1

WP — Hilliard (7 IP, 7 H, ER, 2 K); LP — McDaniel (7 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 5 K, BB)

Top Players: Hoquiam — Spradlin (2-4, R, RBI); Hilliard (1-4, 2B, R, RBI); Dunn (1-4, 2B, R, RBI); Bagwell (1-4, 2B, R, RBI); Jump (1-4, R); Jade Cox (1-3, RBI); Charli Eastman (1-3); Emily Elders (1-2). Aberdeen — Powell (2-3, 2B); McDaniel (0-2, RBI); Hammond (1-3, R); Stephanie Stopsen (1-3, 2B); Logan Glanz (1-3, 2B)

Montesano 10, Kelso 7

Montesano outlasted Kelso in a slug-fest to earn a 10-7 victory on Thursday in Kelso.

The Bulldogs (3-1) scored four runs in the first inning, highlighted by Jessica Stanfield’s two-run home run, to grab an early lead.

But Kelso (1-2) responded with a run in the first and second innings to cut Monte’s lead in half at 4-2.

Monte got a pair of runs back in the top of the third inning on a Janessa Otterstetter bunt followed by an RBI double off the bat of Stanfield.

With the score 7-5 in the top of the sixth, Monte scored three runs on three consecutive base hits. Lindsay Pace made it an 8-5 ballgame with an RBI double followed by run-scoring singles from Matti Ekerson and Katie Granstrom.

Kelso scratched across runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to complete the scoring at 10-7.

Stanfield led Monte’s offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, a run and three RBI.

Pace earned the win for Monte, allowing six earned runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

Kelso was led by Hailey Jackson, who belted two solo home runs for the Highlanders.

Montesano 402 103 0 — 10 8 1

Kelso 112 011 1 — 7 8 1

WP — Pace (7 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 9 K, 4 BB); LP — Capri Franzen (2.1 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 3 K, 3 BB)

Top Players: Montesano — Stanfield (3-4, 2R-HR, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI); Granstrom (2-2, 3 R, RBI); Emma Jensen (1-4, 2B, RBI); Pace (1-4, 2B, RBI). Kelso — Jackson (2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI); Franzen (3-3, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI)

Wishkah Valley 17, Taholah 1

The Wishkah Valley Loggerettes showed no signs of rust in their season-opener against the Taholah Chitwhins on Thursday, pounding out 11 hits en route to a 17-1 victory at Wishkah.

Wishkah’s Abbi Van Blaricom had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, three runs scored and three RBI.

Wishkah Valley also got offensive help from Mackenzie Robertson, Emerie Perron and Erica Bomhoff, each of whom had multi-hit games.

“We’re really excited about what we are seeing,” Wishkah Valley head coach Tove Reibel said. “We had strong hitting and the girls are focused and working hard. … We’re excited about what we have ahead of us this season.”

Wishkah (1-0) scored six runs in the first inning and 11 in the second in the mercy-rule victory.

Bomhoff earned the win, allowing an earned run on two hits with six strikeouts.

Taholah 100 — 1 2 4

Wishkah Valley 6(11)x — 17 11 1

WP — Bomhoff (3 IP, ER, 2 H, 6 K); LP — Seymour (2 IP, 10 ER, 11 H, K, 7 BB)

Top Players: Wishkah — A. Van Blaricom (2-2, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI); Robertson (2-2, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI); Perron (2-2, 2 R, 3 RBI); Bomhoff (2-3, 2 R); Kelcey Bernhardty (1-1, 2B, 2 R, RBI); Molly Van Blaricom (1-3, 2 R); Aleah Clevenger (1-2, R); JJ Morris (0-2, R, RBI). Taholah — Seymour (1-2, R); Ancheta (1-1, RBI).

Elma 6, Castle Rock 1

Elma continued its impressive start to the 2019 season with a 6-1 win over Castle Rock on Thursday at Castle Rock High School.

Eagles pitcher Quin Mikel continued her early-season dominance on the mound, allowing an unearned run on just three hits while striking out six Rockets batters in a complete-game performance.

In her four appearances this season, Mikel has a minuscule 0.64 ERA and opponents are hitting just .127 off the junior hurler.

Elma (6-0) held a 2-0 lead after scoring a pair of runs in the first inning but saw that advantage cut in half when Castle Rock (2-2) scored a run in the bottom of the third inning.

Elma responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and a run in each of the fifth and seventh innings to earn the 6-1 win.

As hot as Mikel has been to start the season in the circle, Elma senior Molly Johnston has been just as hot at the plate.

Johnston had another multi-hit game for the Eagles, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the dish with a double, a run scored and an RBI. The senior is currently hitting a team-best .650 and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 1.432.

Elma’s Kali Rambo also had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored in the win.

Elma 200 210 1 — 6 11 2

Castle Rock 001 000 0 — 1 3 x

WP — Mikel (7 IP, R, 3 H, 6 K, BB); LP — n/a

Top Players: Elma — Johnston (4-4, 2B, R, RBI); Rambo (2-4, 2B, 3 RBI); Mikel (2-4, R); Jalyn Whipple (1-3, R, RBI); Destry Dineen (1-4, RBI)

Adna 5, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 1

In a potential playoff preview, Adna got a stellar pitching performance from Hailey Rainey to hand Pe Ell-Willapa Valley its first loss of the season by the score of 5-2 on Wednesday in Menlo.

Rainey struck out 11 PWV batters and allowed just two hits — a Kamryn Adkins single and a Katelyn McGough double — to earn the victory.

PWV (3-1) took an early 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the first inning, but Rainey shut down the Titans’ offense the rest of the way.

Adna (6-1) scored a pair of runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to give Rainey the run support she needed to pick up the win.

Adkins took the loss for PWV, allowing five earned runs off of eight hits in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

Adna 000 230 0 — 5 8 1\

PWV 100 000 0 — 1 2 0

PREP BASEBALL

Tumwater 13, Montesano 4

Montesano committed nine errors which led to 13 Tumwater runs in the Bulldogs’ 13-4 loss to the Thunderbirds on Thursday in Montesano.

Monte (5-2) fell behind 6-0 in the top of the third inning before scoring a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning on a Braeden Dohrmann double and Teegan Zillyett’s RBI fielder’s choice.

But Tumwater (2-2) scored a run in the fourth and held a 12-2 cushion after a five-run top of the fifth inning.

Monte scored a run on a Zillyett single and Evan Bates’ fielder’s choice groundout in the bottom of the fifth, but got no closer as Tumwater scratched across a run in the seventh to earn the 13-4 win.

“Tumwater really came out swinging the bat, putting pressure on us which resulted in lots of physical and mental errors,” Monte head coach Mike Osgood said. “We got a lot of things to clean up, but I think a day like today you learn from it and move on. Next week we start league and I believe we will be ready.”

Evan Bates took the loss for the Bulldogs, allowing six runs (one earned) and four hits with five strikeouts in three innings pitched.

“I thought Evan Bates pitched well, but we just couldn’t get any help behind him,” Osgood said.

Tumwater 303 150 1 — 13 10 1

Montesano 002 020 0 — 4 5 9

WP — n/a; LP — Bates (3 IP, 6 R, ER, 4 H, 5 K, BB)

Top Players: Montesano — Zillyett (1-4, 2 RBI); Dohrmann (1-1, 2B, R, RBI); Aaron Lano (1-4, R)

Elma 8, Klahowya 0

Elma starting pitcher Brady Shriver tossed a complete-game shutout as the Eagles moved to 3-3 on the season with an 8-0 victory over Klahowya on Thursday in Elma.

Shriver looked sharp in allowing just three hits while striking out 12 to lead the Eagles.

Elma’s offense scored its eight runs on six hits, benefiting from five Klahowya errors.

Leading 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning, Elma scored five runs in the fourth on run-scoring hits from Carter Jacobson and Tysen Richardson, two walks, two errors and a dropped third strike.

Elma tacked on a run in both the fourth and fifth innings to earn the 8-0 win.

Jacobson went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and two RBI to lead Elma.

Klahowya 000 000 0 — 0 3 5

Elma 015 110 x — 8 6 0

WP — Shriver (7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 12 K); LP — Tanyr Gagnon (3 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 4 H, 6 K, 3 BB)

Top Players: Elma — Jacobson (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI); Richardson (1-2, 2B, 2 R, RBI); Raiden Aho (1-4, R); Shriver (1-3, R); Brady Johnston (1-2, R)

PREP BOYS SOCCER

Aberdeen 5, Clover Park 2

The Bobcats responded after giving up the opening score by tallying four straight goals en route to a 5-2 victory over Clover Park on Thursday at Stewart Field in Aberdeen.

After the Warriors (0-2-2) scored the opening goal halfway through the first half, Aberdeen (3-0-1) took control in the second half with four straight goals. A tally by Antonio Torres tied the game at 1-1 before Enrique Cuevas and Miguel Martinez scored to give the Bobcats a 3-1 advantage.

Torres scored again to give Aberdeen a commanding 4-1 lead.

After the Warriors scored with eight minutes left to cut Aberdeen’s lead to 4-2, Hulizes Chavez scored approximately four minutes later to give the Bobcats the 5-2 victory.

“We really played well in a physical match, kept our composure and did what you should do: Beat the team on the scoreboard,” Aberdeen head coach Larry Fleming said.

Chavez and Martinez each had two assists for Aberdeen. Torres and Romeo Sanchez each had an assist for the Bobcats.

Aberdeen’s junior varsity team lost 3-0 to Clover Park JV on Thursday.

Clover Park 1 0 — 1

Aberdeen 0 5 — 5

Top Players: Aberdeen — Torres (2 G, A); Chavez (G, 2 A); Martinez (G, 2 A); Cuevas (G); Sanchez (A)

Montesano 5, Ilwaco 0

Montesano moved into the top spot in the early going of the 1A Evergreen League race with a 5-0 victory over the Ilwaco Fishermen on Thursday in Ilwaco.

Nearly 30 minutes into a scoreless tie, Montesano forward Veli Ambrocio scored from the middle of the 18-yard box to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

Approximately five minutes later, Jordan King sent a pass to the outside where Joel Pine took the ball, dribbled behind the Ilwaco back line, and scored from 10-yards out to give Monte a 2-0 lead at the half.

Monte scored five minutes into the second half when Luis Muro beat two defenders and placed a touch shot into the back of the net for a 3-0 Bulldogs lead.

Muro scored again off an assist from Joe Wood in the 65th minute.

Monte rounded out the scoring when Yemi Idowu scored on a header off a corner kick from Terrick Turpin in the 75th minute.

“In the second half, we calmed down a lot quicker and took more of the possession and pressed more,” Montesano head coach Rick Denholm said of his team’s offensive output. “It was a good all-around game and we really worked together as a team in this game.”

Montesano 2 3 — 5

Ilwaco 0 0 — 0

Top Players: Montesano — Muro (2 G); Ambrocio (G); Pine (G); Idowu (G); King (A); Wood (A)

Raymond-South Bend 6, Castle Rock 2

The Raymond-South Bend Riptide boys soccer team moved to 2-1 on the season with a 6-2 victory over Castle Rock on Thursday.

RSB’s Jose Delgado scored a hat trick and had two assists to lead Raymond, which defeated Castle Rock for the second time this season.

Raul Garcia also had three goals in the Riptide victory.

Aside from Delgado, RSB’s Adrian Quintana, Kaden Coty, Alexis Juarez and Brayan Moreno recorded an assist for the Riptide.

Christian Villegas had four saves in goal for RSB.