PREP BASEBALL
Hoquiam 5, Aberdeen 4
Hoquiam’s Troy McMinn fell down 0-2 with two outs and runners on second and third in the seventh inning, but he knew exactly what to look for after working to a full count.
“I noticed his curveball wasn’t landing and I knew the next fastball was going to be right down the middle in a 3-2 count,” he said. “I was hoping for a gap shot, but a single down the line is just as good. I was nervous though. I’m not going to lie.”
McMinn’s RBI single stayed just inside the third baseline and plated Kyle Larsen and Liam Odell to complete the comeback and give Hoquiam the 5-4 walk-off victory over Aberdeen on Wednesday.
McMinn’s game-winning hit capped off a four-run seventh inning for the Grizzlies. Hoquiam started the frame trailing 4-1 after being stymied by Aberdeen starter Eli Brown for six innings.
Brown looked dominant through the first six innings of work, striking out eight with one hit and one run to that point of the ballgame.
Aberdeen’s Eli Brown delivers a pitch in the fifth inning against Hoquiam. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Brown struggled at the start of the inning and departed after surrendering two runs and recording one out.
The one out that Brown did get came in unusual fashion when Payton Quintanilla appeared to have collected a triple that would have put him on third representing the tying run.
After some discussion in the Bobcats dugout, Aberdeen decided to throw the ball over to first base to appeal.
The infield umpire called Quintanilla out, determining he had not touched first when rounding the base, which moved Quintanilla from third base to the dugout.
Quintanilla and the rest of the Grizzlies players and coaching staff voiced their displeasure with the call, but still had a chance to tie the game up after Aberdeen reliever Giovani Pisani was brought out of the bullpen.
Aberdeen head coach Shon Schreiber said deciding to leave Brown in the game to start the seventh was a tough decision.
“It’s 50/50. It’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Do we keep Eli out there to throw or do we have Gio start the inning? We let him go out and finish it and we got what we got,” he said. “Maybe what we should have done is have (Pisani) start the inning with a clean slate.”
Aberdeen appeared to be headed to victory after scoring two key runs in the sixth inning off of Grizzlies reliever Zach Elsos.
Elsos struggled with his control and surrendered two runs in 2/3 of an inning before giving way to Quintanilla, who came in from shortstop to pitch the remainder of the contest.
Hoquiam head coach Steve Jump said he isn’t discouraged by Elsos’s rough outing.
“We have big plans for him and he’s going to do better,” he said. “It’s hard to come into a game like that where its tied,” he said. “They got a couple of hits and had some calls that didn’t go his way and all of a sudden you find yourself out of it.”
Aberdeen’s Tyler Williamson holds up his glove to the show the umpire the ball after a close play at second involving Hoquiam’s Zach Cook in the second inning. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Aberdeen grabbed the lead with a hard-hit ball off the bat of Enrique Ontiveros that Odell had trouble handling at third base, which allowed Kobie Fall to slide home and give the Bobcats a 2-1 lead at the time.
Aberdeen tacked on another run on a throwing error that pushed the lead to 3-1 by the end of the frame.
Schreiber said his team’s effort at Thursday’s home game against Montesano will give him a good idea of what type of team he has.
“How we respond tomorrow is what will define us as a team,” he said. “If we go out tomorrow and roll over, then that’s what we’ll be.”
Hoquiam will hit the road to play in the Seaside Tournament in Seaside, Oregon on Friday and Saturday.
The tournament will give the Grizzlies a chance to experiment with different lineups, but Jump said he likes what he sees from his team so far.
“I felt really good about the fact that we didn’t give up,” he said. “I have to applaud our younger boys. It took our younger players years ago to help us win and that could be the case (this season).”
Hoquiam 001 000 4 – 5 6 3
Aberdeen 000 102 1 – 4 4 1
WP — Quintanilla (1.1 IP, ER, K); LP — Pisani (.1 IP, BB, 2 H)
Top Players: Hoquiam – Quintanilla (2 RBI, 2B, 2 BB), McMinn (2-4, RBI); Aberdeen – Anthony Alexander (2-3, RBI), Ontiveros (RBI, R)
Montesano 8, Shelton 6 (8 inn.)
Parker Plato’s line-drive single in extra inning broke a 6-6 tie as the Montesano Bulldogs opened the 2019 season with an 8-6 victory over Shelton on Wednesday at Shelton High School.
Monte (1-0 overall) trailed early after Shelton (0-1) put up four runs on Bulldogs starter Evan Bates in the first inning.
“The first inning was rough,” Montesano head coach Mike Osgood said. “Four runs off a lead-off walk and two errors. We then settled in and played really good defense and hit the ball pretty well off some good pitching.”
Monte chipped away at the lead with a run in the third and two in the fifth off a Cyrus Parsons two-run home run.
Payson Parker tied the game at 4-4 when he scored on a double play in the sixth inning.
The Bulldogs’ Aaron Lano led off the seventh with a double and later scored on a Bates single, giving Monte its first lead at 5-4.
Later in the inning, Monte’s Teegan Zillyett scored on a passed ball to give the Bulldogs a 6-4 advantage heading into the bottom half of the inning.
But the Bulldogs couldn’t hold the lead as Shelton rallied. With one out and nobody on, Shelton’s Caeleb Hitsman doubled to left field followed by a single off the bat of Ty Smotherman.
Shelton’s Brenden Engstrom then hit a ground ball to Monte shortstop Carter Olson, who committed the Bulldogs’ third error of the game, allowing Hitsman to score and Smotherman to advance to third carrying the tying run.
Highclimbers third baseman Falcon Johnson then singled to right field off Monte pitcher Payson Parker to tie the game at 6-6.
Parker struck out the next two batters with the winning run at second base, sending the game to extra innings.
In the following frame, Monte wasted no time getting to work. Cole Daniels reached on an error and advanced to second on Olson’s fielder’s choice groundout. Lano then walked, bringing Plato to the plate with two on and one out. The senior catcher lined an 0-1 pitch to right field, scoring Olson to give Monte the lead once again.
Lano, who advanced to third on Plato’s single, then scored on a passed ball, giving Monte an 8-7 lead.
Parker got three straight groundouts in the bottom of the eighth to give Monte its second win of the season.
Osgood said he was impressed with the way Bates reacted after Monte’s early struggles.
“I thought Evan Bates had a good first outing on the mound,” he said. “He didn’t let the first inning get to him and kept us in the game until we got our bats going.”
Montesano 001 021 22 — 8 12 3
Shelton 400 000 20 — 6 6 1
WP — Parker (2.2 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 K); LP — Dylan Coots (4 IP, 4 ER, 9 H, K, 4 BB)
Top Players: Montesano — Parsons (2-3, 2R-HR, R, 3 RBI); Plato (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI); Lano (2-4, 2 2B, 2R); Olson (1-3, 2R), Bates (4 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 K, 5 BB). Shelton — Engstrom (2-6, R, RBI)
— Ryan Sparks, Grays Harbor News Group
Ocosta 16, North Beach 0
Ocosta pitcher and reigning 2B Pacific League MVP Cole Hatton impressed in his first appearance on the mound this season, holding the North Beach Hyaks hitless in a 16-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday in Ocean Shores.
Hatton looked sharp in his first outing of the season. Thirty-two of his 54 pitches were thrown for strikes while striking out nine batters to just two walks in the three inning, mercy-rule victory.
Cesar Martinez led Ocosta’s offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI.
“He had an outstanding game at the plate,” Ocosta head coach Mike Allton said of Martinez, who started the game off with a ringing double to the fence. “He had a great first game.”
Ocosta’s Colby Scheuber scored twice and drove in three runs while Jayden Matthews had two runs and two RBI.
North Beach freshman pitcher Mike Martin took the loss, allowing six earned runs on three hits and five walks in 2/3 innings pitched.
Ocosta 637 — 16 7 0
North Beach 000 — 0 0 1
WP — Hatton (3 IP, 0 H, 9 K, 2 BB); LP — Martin (0.2 IP, 6 ER, 3 H, 5 BB)
Top Players: Ocosta — Martinez (3-4, 2 R, 4 RBI), Hatton (1-3, 3 R, 2 RBI), Matthews (1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI), Scheuber (1-1, 2 R, 3 RBI)
— Ryan Sparks, Grays Harbor News Group
Ocosta 15, North Beach 0
Kobe Beck and Jose Sevilla combined to shut out North Beach as the Ocosta Wildcats completed the doubleheader sweep of the North Beach Hyaks with a 15-0 victory in the nightcap on Wednesday.
Beck earned the win, scattering two hits while striking out six in three innings of work.
Sevilla entered in the fourth inning and held the Hyaks (0-2 overall) hitless in the frame, striking out the side in the process.
Ocosta’s offense stayed hot in the second game, scoring 15 runs on eight hits while capitalizing on nine walks from the North Beach pitching staff.
Harley Figueroa and Colby Scheuber had multi-hit games for Ocosta (2-0). Figueroa went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI while Scheuber went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Beck went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run-scoring triple.
“It was nice to finally get out and play,” Allton said of his team’s opening-day twin bill. “We did what we needed to do to take care of business in both games. We hit the ball well and did a good job of holding them to two hits over seven innings.”
Ocosta hosts Northwest Christian in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
North Beach takes on Raymond in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Raymond High School.
North Beach 000 0 — 0 2 2
Ocosta 330 9 — 15 8 1
WP — Beck (3 IP, 2 H, 6 K, 2 BB); LP — Garrett Armbruster (2 IP, 2 H, 5 ER, K, 5 BB)
Top Players: Ocosta — Figueroa (2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI), Scheuber (2-3, R), Beck (1-1, 3B, R, 2 RBI), Dylan Medford (1-3, 2B, R, RBI); North Beach — Matt Rowling (1-2), Gavin Sell (1-1)
— Ryan Sparks, Grays Harbor News Group
PREP SOFTBALL
Elma 17, La Center 1
Elma looked dominant in its season opener, ending the contest in three innings with a 17-1 home win over La Center.
Quin Mikel cruised in her first start and pitched a no-hitter along with four strikeouts in three innings of work.
Mikel wasn’t lacking run support as Molly Johnston collected three hits and three RBI. Kali Rambo was also impressive at the plate and was a home run shy of the cycle in her 3-for-3 performance in the batters box.
Elma assistant coach Ashley Stancil said it was good to see the Eagles put together patient at-bats against the type of pitcher that has given them trouble in the past.
“We’ve always struggled with slow pitching, so to get 14 hits off of an average-speed pitcher was huge for us,” she said. “They did awesome sitting in the box and they’ve been hitting really well in practice.”
Elma will head to Rochester for a doubleheader on Saturday. The Eagles are scheduled to take on Kittitas at 1 p.m. and Rochester at 3 p.m.
Elma 3 6 8 – 17 14 1
La Center 010 – 10 5
WP — Mikel (3 IP, 4 K); LP — Madison Osbourne (4BB, K, 14H)
Top Players: Elma — Mikel (3-3 2 2B, 2 RBI), Rambo (3-4, 2B, 3B) Johnston (3-3 2B 3 RBI)
Hoquiam 23, Raymond 2
The Hoquiam Grizzlies scored early and often en route to a 23-2 mercy-rule victory over the Raymond Seagulls on Wednesday in Hoquiam.
The Grizzlies scored eight runs in the first inning as Raymond starter Izzy Silvernail, who had 11 walks total in the game, struggled to find the plate.
After Hoquiam took a 9-0 lead with a run in the second, the Grizzlies’ bats got going in the third, scoring nine runs in the frame followed by a five-spot in the fourth to put the game well out of the Seagulls’ reach.
“After the second inning, we swung the bats very well, but it took us awhile to get going,” Hoquiam head coach Keith Reynvaan. “We weren’t getting many pitches to hit and I think the kids were a little anxious. … But once we starting hitting the ball, we hit up and down the lineup.”
Kylie Bagwell went 2-for-2 with a double, four runs scored and three RBI for Hoquiam.
Maya Jump and Emily Elders also had multi-hit games for Hoquiam. Jump went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and two RBI while elders went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI.
Tauni Hilliard earned the victory for the Grizzlies, allowing six hits and two runs over five innings pitched. The sophomore hurler struck out four Raymond batters while walking two.
“I liked the way Hilliard threw the ball,” Reynvaan said. “She threw a lot of strikes and our defense was good behind her.”
Hoquiam takes on Rochester at 4 p.m. on Monday at Rochester High School.
Raymond 000 02 — 2 6 2
Hoquiam 819 5x — 23 10 1
WP — Hilliard (5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 4 K, 2 BB); I. Silvernail (K, 11 BB)
Top Players: Hoquiam — M. Jump (2-3, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R); Bagwell (2-2, 2B, 3 RBI, 4 R); Elders (2-2, 2B, 3 RBI)
— Ryan Sparks, Grays Harbor News Group
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Grays Harbor’s Richie Alves delivers a pitch in the fifth inning against Shorelines on Wednesday. (Hasani Grayson | Grays Harbor News Group)
Grays Harbor swept by Shoreline in doubleheader
Grays Harbor couldn’t find its offense against Shoreline on Wednesday and suffered losses of 5-1 and 20-1 in Lacey.
The Chokers (0-7 overall) got their only RBIs from Nolan Burger and Peyton Greene on a day where hits were limited.
Grays Harbor got off to a promising start, plating run in the first inning of the early game. The offense stalled after that as Shoreline put up a pair of runs in the third and seventh innings to pull away.
Shoreline (3-3) pulled ahead early in the nightcap and had built an 8-0 lead after two innings of play to put the contest out of reach.
Grays Harbor will try right the ship at Blue Mountain on Saturday in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
Shoreline 002 000 201 – 5 8 0
Grays Harbor 100 000 000 – 1 5 1
WP — Cole Trotignon (5 IP, 3 H, 4 K); LP — Mike Jarvis (2.2 IP, 3 BB, 3 K)
Top Players: Grays Harbor – Peyton Brock (2-3, BB); Kato Hironori (3-5, 4 RBI)
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Shoreline 352 212 5 – 20 21 1
Grays Harbor 001 000 0 – 1 5 1
Top Hitters: Grays Harbor – Kaito Otsuka (2 H); Shoreline – Ryan Pederson (3-4, 2 RBI), Zane Zurbrugg (3-3, 4 RBI), Simone Boggie (4 RBI)
