1A State Softball Roundup: Montesano beats Rochester for second state title in three years

Montesano won its second state championship in three years as we review the final two days of the 1A State Softball Tournament.

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1A State Championship

Montesano 10, Rochester 5

For one full year, a disappointing end to the 2024 prep softball season has lingered in the back of the minds of the Montesano Bulldogs.

After winning it all in 2023, top-seeded Monte was bounced in last season’s semis and ended up placing fourth in the state, far from the back-to-back titles it had hoped for.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs (22-5 overall) put those thoughts behind them with a convincing 10-5 victory over Rochester in the 1A State Championship game at the Columbia Playfields in Richland.

Facing one of the 1A class’ top pitcher in Warriors ace Layna Demers and down 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Monte’s offense got to work.

The Bulldogs rallied in the bottom of the second on a single by freshman Violent Prince followed by a sacrifice fly by left fielder Liv Robinson, scoring center fielder Adda Potts to tie the game at 2-2.

A single by third baseman Lex Stanfield followed by a walk to catcher Ali Parkin loaded the bases with two out for shortstop Addi Kersker, who singled on a grounder to left, scoring Prince and Stanfield for a 4-2 lead.

In the top of the third, Monte starter Grace Gooding got Piper Quarnstrom to ground out leading off the frame but walked the following batter and was replaced in the circle by Prince, who proceeded to walk the next three batters to plate McKenna Vassar to cut the Bulldogs lead to 4-3.

But Prince settled in to strikeout the next two batters and end the threat.

PHOTO BY HAILEY BLANCAS Montesano pitcher Violet Prince struck out 12 in 4 2-3 innings relief in a 10-5 win over Rochester in the 1A State Championship game on Saturday in Richland.

The freshman right-hander helped her own cause in the third. After first baseman Kylee Wisdom singled with two outs, Prince belted the first pitch she saw from Demers over the fence in center field for a two-run home run, extending the lead to 6-3.

With one out in the fifth, two critical Rochester errors put Monte runners on second and third. After Liv Robinson struck out, Stanfield singled to drive in Taylor Galvin and Lainey Robinson for an 8-3 lead.

Parkin then reached on Rochester’s third error of the frame, allowing Stanfield to cross the plate with the Bulldogs’ ninth run of the contest.

In the sixth, Monte added a little more breathing room when Gooding and Potts hit consecutive singles with one out.

After Wisdom popped out to Demers, an error on a hard ground ball from Prince allowed Gooding to score to put Monte up 10-3.

The Warriors got to Prince in the seventh when Cheyenne Justice led off with a single and advanced to second on an error with one out.

Demers then walked and to load the bases before Prince struck out Hailey Boyd for the second out of the inning.

Arissa LeBaron temporarily put Monte’s celebration on hold with a single to drive in Justice and Vassar, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to 10-5.

But any hopes of a Warriors comeback were quickly dashed as Prince struck out Morgan to end the game and set off Montesano’s postgame state-championship festivities.

“Honestly, there are no words to describe it,” said Montesano catcher Ali Parkin, one of the senior leaders on the team. “It was a great feeling but also, I think we all knew from the beginning of the season we were going to get that state championship. Everyone pushed so hard during practices and games to be able to make it where we did and just ending off of that, as a senior, was the best feeling ever.”

After catching strike three, Parkin and the rest of her teammates made a beeline toward Prince, who whether it be from inexperience or her focused and collected demeanor, leaned over to grab her rosin bag as if it were just another win before realizing she was about to be mobbed by her teammates.

“I kind of just was treating it as another game right there and just kind of forgot what was happening that moment,” said the steely-nerved freshman right-hander. “It felt amazing to know we were all so excited for that and how we’d work so hard for it all season, to finally get it.”

Gooding picked up the win, allowing three earned runs on three hits and a pair of walks in 2 1-3 innings pitched.

Prince allowed two unearned runs on two hits with five walks and 12 strikeouts in 4 2-3 innings of relief.

“I think I just went in there knowing I was doing it for my team and knowing that every game is a different opportunity,” said Prince, who primarily used an effective screwball with some fastballs mixed in to get the job done. “It felt really good to know my teammates and coaches believed in me enough to put me into that important game right there.”

Stanfield led the Monte offense with three hits while Kersker, Gooding and Prince had two hits apiece.

PHOTO BY HAILEY BLANCAS Montesano’s Addi Kerkser celebrates during a 10-5 victory over Rochester in the 1A State Championship game on Saturday at the Columbia Playfields in Richland.

For Montesano, the state championship is the 12th in program history, all under legendary head coach Pat Pace, who further cements himself as one of the most successful head coaches in state history.

And it won’t be his last as he confirmed – contrary to information published by other news outlets – that he is returning for another season.

“I had a lot of people coming up to me saying, ‘Hey, I can’t believe this is your last year,’” Pace said. “No. I’m coming back next year. I’m sticking around for one more year, at least. … I’m having too much fun and this year was very special because of those six seniors.”

Rochester 021 000 2 – 5 5 4

Montesano 042 031 x – 10 13 1

WP: Gooding (2.1 IP, 3R, 3ER, 3H, 2BB). LP: Demers (6 IP, 10R, 6ER, 13H, 2BB, 6K).

Leading hitters: Rochester – LeBaron (1-3, 3RBI); Justice (1-4, R); Demers (1-2); Morgan (1-4, R); Culp (1-3, 2RBI). Montesano – Stanfield (3-4, 2R, 2RBI); Kersker (2-4, 2RBI); Gooding (2-4, R); Prince (2-4, HR, 2R, 3RBI); Robinson (1-5, RBI); Parkin (1-2, 2BB); Potts (1-2, R); Wisdom (1-4, R).

PHOTO BY HAILEY BLANCAS Montesano third baseman Lex Stanfield makes a catch during a 10-5 victory over Rochester in the 1A State Championship game on Saturday at the Columbia Playfields in Richland.

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1A State Semifinal

Montesano 8, Elma 2

Montesano pulled away from Elma late to advance to earn an 8-2 win in a 1A State semifinal game on Saturday in Richland.

The Bulldogs took an early 3-0 lead on an RBI triple by Lex Stanfield and run-scoring singles from Addi Kersker and Grace Gooding in the bottom of the first inning.

Monte would add an insurance run when Ali Parkin drove in Stanfield with a groundout in the third.

Elma (17-11) got on the scoreboard when senior center fielder Mia Monroe led off the top of the fourth with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch.

The Bulldogs got the run back in the bottom half of the frame when Violet Prince singled to drive in Gooding, who was on board with a leadoff single.

The Eagles trimmed the deficit to three when right fielder Chloe Donais singled to drive in first baseman Keira White with two outs in the fifth, making it a 5-2 game.

But Monte responded with three runs in the sixth on a Liv Robinson RBI single and a two-out, two-run home run from Parkin to go up 8-2.

Prince pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, getting Emily Comer to pop out to Stanfield at third and end the game.

Prince allowed two earned runs on three hits with two walks and 13 strikeouts in seven innings pitched to earn the win.

Ashlynn Weld took the loss for Elma, allowing seven earned runs on 12 hits without a walk while striking out five.

Parkin had a monster game at the plate, going 3 for 4 with a run scored and four RBI.

Gooding, Robinson and Stanfield had two hits apiece for Montesano, which outhit its East County rivals 12-3.

Elma 000 110 0 – 2 3 1

Montesano 301 103 x – 8 12 0

WP: Prince (7 IP, 2R, 2ER, 3H, 2BB, 13K). LP: A. Weld (6 IP, 8R, 7ER, 12H, 5K).

Leading hitters: Elma – M. Monroe (1-3, R); R. Weld (1-2); Donais (1-2, RBI). Montesano – Parkin (3-4, HR, 3B, R, 4RBI); Robinson (2-4, R, RBI); Stanfield (2-4, 3B, 2R); Kersker (1-4, RBI); Gooding (2-3, R, RBI); Wisdom (1-3); Prince (1-3, RBI).

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1A State Quarterfinal

Montesano 8, Lynden Christian 0

Montesano opened its state-tournament run by blanking No. 9 Lynden Christian 8-0 in a quarterfinal game on Friday in Richland.

The Bulldogs jumped on the Lyncs early for four runs in the bottom of the first on a two-run triple by Lex Stanfield and RBI singles by Regan Wintrip and Adda Potts.

Monte added three in the second on a bases-clearing double to left field by Addi Kersker to go up 7-0.

Stanfield singled to lead off the fourth and came in to score on a wild pitch with two outs to put the Bulldogs ahead 8-0.

That was plenty of run support for Montesano starting pitcher Grace Gooding, who sparkled with a three-hit, seven-strikeout performance, earning a complete-game shutout victory in the process.

Stanfield had two hits and score three runs for a Bulldogs offense that had seven different players collect a base hit in the game.

Lynden Christian 000 000 0 – 0 3 0

Montesano 430 100 x – 8 8 0

WP: Gooding (7 IP, 0R, 0ER, 3H, 7K). LP: Lenning (IP, 7R, 3ER, 7H, BB, 3K).

Leading hitters: LC – Craig (3-3). Montesano – Stanfield (2-4, 3R); Kersker (1-2, 2B, 3RBI); Wintrip (1-3, 3B, R, 2RBI); Gooding (1-3, RBI); Potts (1-3, RBI); Wisdom (1-3).

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CHRYSTAL WELD PHOTOGRAPHY The Elma Eagles placed fourth in the state at the conclusion of the 1A State Tournament on Saturday at the Columbia Playfields in Richland.

1A State 3rd/4th-place game

Cedar Park Christian 6, Elma 5

Elma’s shot at a third-place state finish slipped away in the final at-bat of a 6-5 loss to No. 3 Cedar Park Christian on Saturday in Richland.

The Eagles took a 3-0 lead with two runs in the top of the second on an error and an RBI ground out by Emily Comer and a run in the third on a run-scoring ground out by Ashlynn Weld.

Cedar Park Christian tied the game on a run-scoring error and a two-run double by Adelaide Foster in the bottom of the third inning.

The game went back and forth, with CPC taking a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth and Elma regaining the lead with a two-run single by Comer in the sixth.

In the bottom of the seventh, Shelby Southard was intentionally walked and advanced to second on a single by Isabela Stewart.

Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch by Ashlynn Weld and came in to score the tying and winning runs on a Foster single.

With the loss, Elma placed fourth in the state.

Elma 021 002 0 0 – 5 7 4

Cedar Park Chr. 003 010 2 – 6 6 2

WP: Southard (7 IP, 5R, 3ER, 7H, 2BB, 10K). LP: A. Weld (6 IP, 6R, 2ER, 6H, 5BB, 11K).

Leading hitters: Elma – White (2-3, 2R); Simmons (1-4, 2B); M. Monroe (1-4, 2BB); Bednarik (1-3, R); K. Monroe (1-1); Comer (1-3, 3RBI); A. Weld (0-4, R, RBI, BB). CPC – Foster (2-4, 2B, 5RBI); Meikle (2-3); Stuhr (1-3, R); Stewart (1-4, 2 RBI); Southard (0-0, 3R, 4BB, 2 SB).

CHRYSTAL WELD PHOTOGRAPHY Elma’s Keira White takes a swing during a 1A State Tournament game on Saturday in Richland.

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1A State Elimination game

Elma 12, Royal 2

Elma kept its season alive by defeating Royal 12-2 in a state-tournament elimination game on Saturday.

After a semifinal loss to Montesano, the Eagles responded by hammering the second-seeded Knights for 12 runs on 10 hits and five walks in the game.

Trailing 1-0 in the top of the second, Elma first baseman Keira White tied the game on a home run to center field and – after Royal regained the lead with an RBI double by Hali Christensen in the second – took a 3-2 lead when White singled to score Aubree Simmons and Mia Monroe in the third.

A Knights error in the fourth would lead to a fourth Elma run with Simmons driving in Raelynn Weld on a sacrifice fly for a 5-2 lead.

Elma added five in the fifth on run-scoring singles by Chloe Donais, Raelynn Weld and Monroe followed by a Simmons sacrifice fly to go up 10-2.

Emily Comer would single in White and Lynsee Bednarik to give Elma a 12-2 lead.

Pitcher Ashlynn Weld worked around a two-out single to strikeout Taylor Austin in the sixth to give the Eagles the mercy-rule victory.

With the win, Elma advanced to the state third/fourth-place game.

Elma 012 252 – 12 10 1

Royal 110 000 – 2 3 3

WP: A. Weld (6 IP, 2R, 2ER, 3H, 8K). LP: Allread (6 IP, 12R, 8ER, 10H, 5BB, 8K).

Leading hitters: Elma – White (4-4, HR, 3R, 3RBI); Comer (2-4, R, 2RBI); M. Monroe (1-2, R, 2RBI, 2 SB); R. Weld (1-3, 2R, RBI); K. Monroe (1-3, R); Donais (1-4, R, RBI). Royal – Eilers (1-3, 2B, R); Delarosa (1-3); H. Christensen (1-2, 2B, RBI).

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CHRYSTAL WELD PHOTOGRAPHY Elma’s Emily Comer heads to first during a state-semifinal game against Seton Catholic on Saturday in Richland

1A State Quarterfinal

Elma 12, Seton Catholic 4

Elma’s offense poured it on to earn a 12-4 victory over No. 4 Seton Catholic on Friday at the Columbia Playfields.

The fifth-seeded Eagles got on the board in the top of the first when pitcher Ashlynn Weld scored in center fielder Mia Monroe with a double.

Elma extended its lead to 4-0 with three runs in the second, highlighted by an RBI single by catcher Raelynn Weld and a run-scoring triple from Monroe.

The Cougars rallied to score two runs in each of the second and third innings to tie the game, but the Eagles regained the lead when Monroe singled with two outs in the fourth and came in to score on a double to center by second baseman Aubree Simmons.

Elma manufactured a run with a one-out walk to Kenna Monroe, who advanced to second on an Emily Comer sacrifice bunt and came in to score when the throw back to second sailed into left field, extending the Eagles lead to 6-4.

Elma turned a close game into a rout with six runs in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run triple by Chloe Donais, an RBI triple from Monroe and an RBI double from Ashlynn Weld to take a commanding 12-4 lead.

Ashlynn Weld earned the win, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

Monroe went 4 for 4 with two triples to lead an Eagles offense that had 16 hits in the game, eight for extra bases.

Elma 130 110 6 – 12 16 2

Seton Catholic 022 000 0 – 4 7 2

WP: A. Weld (7 IP, 4R, 4ER, 7H, 3BB, 6K). LP: Kender (6.1 IP, 10R, 9ER, 13H, 4BB, 7K).

Leading hitters: Elma – M. Monroe (4-4, 2 3B, 3R, 2RBI, 2 SB); Bednarik (3-5, 2 2B, R); R. Weld (2-5, 2R, 2RBI); A. Weld (2-4, 2 2B, 2RBI); White (2-4, R); Comer (1-3, 2R, 2RBI); Donais (1-4, 3B, R, 3RBI); Simmons (1-5, RBI). Seton Catholic – McMaster (1-3, 2B, R); Williams (1-4, 2B, R); Lubisich (1-4); Kuhnhausen (1-4, RBI); Figueroa (1-3, R); Farrell (1-3, 2RBI).