PREP BASEBALL
Montesano 9, Forks 2
Montesano extended its season-high winning streak to seven games with a 9-2 victory over Forks in a 1A Evergreen League matchup on Wednesday in Montesano.
The Bulldogs (12-2 overall, 6-0 Evergreen 1A) jumped out to a 3-0 lead when left fielder Shaydon Farmer belted a double to right field, scoring Parker Plato and Payson Parker in the bottom of the first inning.
Montesano starting pitcher Cyrus Parsons cruised through the first three innings, allowing just one base hit over the first nine outs.
But Parsons ran into trouble in the top of the fourth as Forks (4-7, 1-5) mounted a comeback. Spartans first baseman Trey Baysinger led off the inning by driving a home run over the left field fence.
With two out in the inning, Parsons ran into more trouble, loading the bases when he hit Logan Olson with a pitch.
Montesano head coach Mike Osgood brought in sophomore Jack Anderson to relieve Parsons and, after allowing Forks to score its second run of the inning via a passed ball, Anderson struck out Tyler Wood to end the frame with the tying run on third base.
Monte’s one-run lead was short-lived, however, as the Bulldogs responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to extend the lead to 6-2, the big blow coming off a two-out, two-run single off the bat of Payson Parker.
That was all the run support Anderson would need, as he held Forks scoreless over the final three innings, striking out six while allowing just one hit to close out the game.
Montesano relief pitcher Jack Anderson struck out seven and allowed just one hit in 3 1/3 shutout innings against Forks on Wednesday in Montesano. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)
“Jack was awesome out there,” Osgood said. “He came in a stressful environment and pitched well. He really shut them down and blocked them in. Jack was a huge part of this victory tonight.”
“One of the things I’ve been taught throughout my lifetime was to throw strikes,” Anderson said of his ability to stay poised in pressured moments. “In that moment, I was just having fun. … Whatever I do throughout the game, just have fun and throw strikes. That’s what I keep in my mind every single time I’m on the mound.”
The Bulldogs added three more insurance runs in the top of the sixth on run-scoring singles from Anderson and Braden Dohrmann.
“(The run support) gives me more time to relax and I don’t have to think too much because I know (my teammates) have my back,” Anderson said of the extra cushion. “And when they have my back, I feel more confident and relaxed and we have more fun. That seems to be the main mood throughout the game once we start getting those runs and are helping each other out.”
Osgood liked what he saw in his team’s ability to get timely hits coming off Tuesday’s thrilling 2-1 win over Hoquiam.
“I think early on, coming off the emotional win against Hoquiam, we came out a little flat,” Osgood said. “But once they realized they were in a ballgame, they kind of turned it up a gear and had much better plate approaches and it showed.”
Parsons earned the win, allowing two earned runs on three hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Anderson recorded the save, giving up just one hit while striking out seven in 3 1/3 innings.
Five Monte batters recorded multi-hit games, led by Farmer, who went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI.
Montesano outfielder Shaydon Farmer smacks a base hit in the sixth inning against Forks on Wednesday in Montesano. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)
Plato, Lano, Dohrmann and Ben Wills each had two hits in the game in addition to Farmer.
The victory is Monte’s seventh in a row. The Bulldogs last loss came against Tumwater on March 21. Montesano has outscored its opponents 78-15 during the streak. Montesano’s pitching staff has held opposing offenses to two or fewer runs in six of its past seven wins.
The Bulldogs hold a two-game lead over Hoquiam in the race for the 1A Evergreen League crown.
Monte takes on rival Elma at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in Elma.
Forks 000 200 0 — 2 4 3
Montesano 300 303 x — 9 12 2
WP — Parsons (3.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, K); LP — Carson Ness (4 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 5 BB, K); SV — Anderson (3.1 IP, 0 R, H, 7 K, 2 BB)
Top Players: Montesano — Farmer (2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI); Plato (2-4, 2 R); Wills (2-3, R); Dohrmann (2-2, RBI); Lano (1-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI); Payson Parker (1-2, R, 2 RBI); Anderson (1-2, 2 RBI); Evan Bates (1-3, 2 R)
PREP SOFTBALL
Tumwater, Aberdeen 2
Tumwater put up four runs in the first inning and never looked back as Aberdeen fell to the Thunderbirds 8-2 on Wednesday in Tumwater.
Aberdeen (5-4, 4-2 Evergreen 2A) started Kacie Powell in the circle. The sophomore pitcher ran into trouble immediately, walking the first batter she faced and having to pitch through two errors in the first inning.
Tumwater (7-3, 4-1) benefited from Myra Seaton’s plate appearances as she reached safely in three out of four at-bats and drove in two runs.
The Bobcats had their chances to close the gap, loading the bases in the fifth and sixth innings, but mistakes on the bases short circuited potential rallies.
“We did everything not to win,” said Aberdeen head coach Scott Wilson. “We had multiple base-running mistakes and we had the bases loaded at times. They never gave up, which was nice, but we have to play smarter next time.”
Logan Glanz was one of the bright spots in the lineup for the Bobcats as she was responsible for driving in both of her team’s runs and hit her first career home run.
Aberdeen’s next matchup comes at home at 4:30 p.m. against Centralia.
Aberdeen 011 000 0 — 2 8 2
Tumwater 410 201 x — 8 14 3
WP – Savannah Owen (7 IP, ER, 2 K, 0 BB, 8 H); LP – Powell (2 IP, 5 R, 2 ER, 6 H, K)
Top Players: Aberdeen – Glanz (2-3, HR, 2 RBI); Tumwater – Seaton (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Katie Cunningham (HR, 2 RBI)
— Hasani Grayson, Grays Harbor News Group
Other Scores
PWV 19, Chief Leschi 0
PWV 22, Chief Leschi 0
