PREP SOFTBALL

PWV breezes past Raymond in twin bill sweep

The Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans had no issues taking care of business in sweeping Raymond, 24-0 and 17-0, on Saturday in Raymond.

The doubleheader served as a good tune-up for the Titans as they’ll face two potential playoff opponents — Adna and Ocosta — this week.

PWV 24, Raymond 0

PWV (3-0 overall, 2-0 Pacific 2B), one of the favorites to contend for district and state titles this season after having won state in 2017, had no problem handling a young Raymond team in its second year of existence, scoring early and often in a 24-0 rout of the Seagulls in the first game of a 2B Pacific League doubleheader.

The Titans got at least two hits from each of its nine starters, including Georgi Ritzman, who was a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, three runs and three RBI.

PWV had 10 extra-base hits in the ballgame, including home runs by Katelyn McGough and Britney Patrick.

PWV scored 16 runs in a first-inning early knockout.

Titans senior starter Kamryn Adkins picked up the victory, striking out four without a walk in a three-inning no hitter.

PWV (16)71 — 24 20 1

Raymond 000 — 0 0 3

WP — Kam. Adkins (3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 4 K); LP — Izzy Silvernail

Top Players: PWV — Ritzman (4-4, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI); McGough (2-2, HR, 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI); Presely Peterson (3-3, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI); Patrick (3-4, 2 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI); Matlock (2-2, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI).

PWV’s Ava Bush (24) slides in safely to second base while Raymond shortstop Hannah Miller covers the bag during Saturday’s twin bill at L.V. & Stella Raymond Memorial Park on Saturday.

PWV 17, Raymond 0

Katelyn McGough and Olivia Matlock each recorded second-inning home runs to lead the Titans to a 17-0 win over Raymond in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Saturday.

Matlock belted a three-run bomb to left-center field to make it an 8-0 game with no outs in the frame.

McGough smashed a grand slam later in the inning — her second home run of the afternoon — as the Titans scored 12 runs total in the inning.

PWV players surround Katelyn McGough (8) after she belted a grand slam home run in the second game of a doubleheader against Raymond on Saturday. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

Matlock finished the game going 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBI.

McGough went 2-for-2 with two runs and four RBI as PWV head coach Ken Olson rested some of his regular starters in the nightcap.

Matlock allowed no hits and struck out six in three innings pitched to pick up the victory.

PWV will be tested this week as they’ll face 2018 2B State semifinalist Adna at 3 p.m. on Wednesday before a huge doubleheader against fellow league power Ocosta on Saturday.

“(Adna) is a solid club. We went and watched them the other day and they’re solid,” PWV head coach Ken Olson said. “Then we come back and play Ocosta on Saturday. … We should definitely be challenged, but we’ll be ready.”

Though it’s early and she admits there is still improvements to be made, PWV ace Kamryn Adkins believes the team is on track to have an excellent season.

“We definitely have a few things we need to work on, but I definitely think we are at the top of the league and I feel like we can compete with anyone if we all show up,” she said. “I think we’re going to have a very successful season in districts and state.”

By contrast, Raymond head coach Steve Silvernail is looking for more than just wins as he builds up a Raymond team filled with underclassmen in the program’s infancy.

“One of the biggest improvements that we had was just the attitude of the girls,” Silvernail said. “They were disappointed (in Wednesday’s loss to Hoquiam) and it showed in their play. … Today, (our pitchers) did a much better job of getting the ball over the plate and making them put the ball in play.

“When you are so young — I think we have five freshman and three eighth graders — it’s just part of the gig.”

Silvernail quipped that there was talk among the Raymond coaching staff about whether to have his team watch the Titans take infield or not.

“We knew how good (PWV’s) pre-game was,” he said. “For today, I think (Raymond’s players) should see what a good team does to prepare for a game.”

PWV 5(12)0 — 17 7 0

Raymond 000 — 0 0 2

WP — Matlock (3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 6 K, BB); LP — Sidney Swogger

Top Players: PWV — McGough (1-2, GS, 2 R, 4 RBI), Matlock (2-3, 3-R HR, 2 R, 4 RBI)

Elma 14, Kittitas-Thorp 9

Eagles senior Chloe Velasco went 3-for-5 with a home run as Elma defeated Kittitas-Thorp 14-9 on Saturday at Rochester High School.

Velasco went 3-for-5 with the home run, two runs scored and two RBI to lead Elma.

Elma senior pitcher Destry Dineen earned the win in the circle, allowing two earned runs on five hits in seven innings pitched. The Eagles’ ace struck out seven and walked seven.

Elma 063 003 2 — 14 13 7

Kittitas-Thorp 001 120 5 — 9 x x

WP — Dineen (7 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 7 K, 7 BB); LP — n/a

Top Players: Elma — Velasco (3-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI); Dineen (2-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI); Kassedy Olson (2-3, 2 R, RBI); Johnston (2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI)

Elma 12, Rochester 2

The Elma Eagles scored eight runs in the first inning en route to a 12-2 victory over Rochester Saturday afternoon at Rochester High School.

Molly Johnston led Elma’s offense with three hits, two runs and two RBI for an Eagles team where every starter collected at least one hit and eight of nine scored at least one run.

Quin Mikel picked up the victory, allowing two earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

While he’ll take the wins, Elma head coach Roger Elliott said his team needs to work on some aspects of its game if they are to reach the state title game for the second consecutive season.

“We didn’t play the greatest defense. We’ll definitely have to clean that up,” he said. “We had 10 errors (total) all of last season. So seven in one game is not normal.”

Elma 812 10 — 12 13 x

Rochester 002 00 — 2 x x

WP — Mikel (5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 K, 3 BB); LP — n/a

Top Players: Elma — Johnston (3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI); Jalyn Whipple (2-3, R, 2 RBI); Dineen (2-4, 2 R, RBI).

Montesano 16, Lynden 0

Montesano junior Janessa Otterstetter belted two home runs to lead the Bulldogs to a 16-0 rout over Lynden on Saturday at Auburn Riverside High School in Auburn.

Otterstetter opened the scoring with a solo shot in the first frame and followed that up with a 3-run home run in the Bulldogs’ eight-run fourth inning.

In addition to the two homers, Otterstetter also had an RBI double and scored three runs while driving in five to lead Monte’s offense.

Monte (1-1) also got multi-hit games from Emma Jensen, Kate Klinger and Jessica Stanfield as the Bulldogs totalled 15 hits in the contest.

Montesano starter Lindsay Pace earned the victory, allowing no runs on two hits in four innings pitched.

Other Scores

Saturday’s games

Junior College Softball: Lower Columbia 14, Grays Harbor 1 (Game 1)

Lower Columbia 7, Grays Harbor 1 (Game 2)