Local Roundup: Aberdeen’s hopes for league title still alive after beating Shelton

Also: Montesano completes perfect league season; Cain leads Elma past Napavine

It’s been a topsy-turvy week in the race for the top spot in the 2A Evergreen League, and the Aberdeen Bobcats have found themselves in the thick of it.

The Bobcats (10-7 overall, 7-3 2A Evergreen) were in danger of falling out of third place just a few short days ago. Now they are tied for first after a 14-4 victory over Shelton on Wednesday.

After a loss to Tumwater at home on Monday, Aberdeen has won two straight games in 48 hours and – combined with recent W.F. West and Tumwater losses – finds itself in a first-place tie with the Thunderbirds.

Against Shelton, Aberdeen wasted little time getting to work, scoring eight runs in the top of the first inning. Four straight Bobcats drew walks to start the game and benefited from two errors in the top of the first. Aberdeen took a 6-0 lead on an RBI single by Aili Scott followed by Abby Mainio crossing home on a passed ball and a run-scoring double from Laynie Yakovich.

Leading 8-0 after one inning, Aberdeen took a 10-0 lead with two runs in the second, highlighted by a Shyanna Patrick RBI double.

A Scotlyn Lecomte double, a Laynie Yakovich single and an error led to three more Cats runs in the third.

Of Aberdeen’s 11 hits in the game, five were doubles. Six errors by Shelton (5-13, 1-10) led to six unearned Aberdeen runs.

Lilly Camp got the victory, allowing just one hit with three strikeouts in two shutout innings of work. Abby Mainio pitched three innings of relief for Aberdeen, allowing four runs – two earned – on six hits with a strikeout.

Aberdeen and Tumwater are tied with identical 7-3 league records. Tumwater holds the tiebreaker, winning 2-of-3 games this season against the Bobcats.

Aberdeen faced Centralia on Friday at Fort Borst Park in Centralia.

Aberdeen 823 10 – 14 11 1

Shelton 001 03 – 4 7 6

WP: Camp (2 IP, H, 0 R, 3 K). LP: Alvarez (0.2 IP, 8 R, 4 ER, 2 H, 4 BB).

Leading hitters: Aberdeen – Scott (3-3, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI); Camp (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI); L. Yakovich (2-2, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI); Vessey (1-3, 2B, R, RBI); Patrick (1-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI); Lecomte (1-2, R). Shelton – Baumgart (2-2, 2B, 2 R, RBI); Jorgensen (2-3, 3B, R, RBI); Squire (1-3); Dimock (1-2); Woolett (1-2, R).

Other scores

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 5, Raymond-South Bend 2

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 10, Raymond-South Bend 5

North Beach 10, Chief Leschi 0

North Beach 12, Chief Leschi 2

PREP BASEBALL

Elma 18, Napavine 6

Elma’s Gibson Cain did his best Shohei Ohtani impression in an 18-6 victory over Napavine on Wednesday in Napavine.

Cain led the Eagles (12-7, 6-5 1A Evergreen) on the bump and at the plate, smashing a two-run home run while driving in five runs and picking up the win by allowing three earned runs in three innings pitched.

Elma scored five runs in the first, with Eastin Wright providing the pop with a three-run triple. Napavine clawed back to take the lead after three Elma errors over the first three innings led to three unearned runs.

The Eagles rallied for seven runs in the top of the fourth on a two-run single by TJ Dunlap to take the lead, a Cain two-run triple, an Andrew Sanders single, and a double by Jack Alexander to put Elma up 12-6.

Elma added three runs in the fifth, highlighted by a Grant Vessey RBI single, and went up 18-6 after an Ethan Camus RBI single followed by a Cain two-run home run in the seventh.

Vessey tossed the final four innings for Elma, surrendering one hit and a walk with four strikeouts.

Elma wrapped up its regular season with a league game against Tenino Friday in Elma.

Elma 500 730 3 – 18 14 3

Napavine 213 000 0 – 6 7 1

WP: Cain (3 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 K). LP: Chambers (2.1 IP, R, ER, 2 BB, K).

Leading hitters: Elma – Cain (2-4, 3 R, HR, 3B, 5 RBI); Sanders (2-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI); Dunlap (2-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI); Wright (1-2, 3B, R, 3 RBI); Corr (1-4, 2 R, RBI); Alexander (1-1, 2B, R, 2 RBI). Napavine – Holmes (2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI); Wilson (2-3, R, RBI); Nelson (1-3, 2B, R, RBI).

Other scores

Eatonville 3, Hoquiam 2

BOYS PREP SOCCER

Montesano 7, Ilwaco 1

Montesano completed a perfect league season with a 7-1 victory over Ilwaco on Wednesday in Ilwaco.

The Bulldogs (14-1, 14-0 1A Evergreen) scored six goals in the first half and totalled 32 shots in the game, 13 on target.

Star sophomore forward Felix Romero scored three goals and had an assist to lead Monte. Senior co-captain and all-state candidate Mateo Sanchez had two assists while dynamic freshman midfielder Cristofer Tobar had two goals for the Bulldogs. Levi Clements and Jiovanny Torres scored a goal apiece for Montesano.

The Bulldogs will host a first-round 1A District 4 playoff game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Jack Rottle Field.

Montesano 6 1 – 7

Ilwaco 1 0 – 1

Scoring

First half – 1, Montesano, Levi Clements (Romero), 3rd minute. 2, Montesano, Torres (Sanchez), 9th minute. 3, Montesano, Romero, 10th minute. 4, Montesano, Tobar, 24th minute. 5, Montesano, Romero (Sanchez), 29th minute. 6, Montesano, Romero, 31st minute. 7, Ilwaco, 37th minute.

Second half – 8, Montesano, Torres, 65th minute.

Other scores

Raymond-South Bend 3, Hoquaim 0