Aberdeen dropped its league opener to Centralia while Elma held off Castle Rock for a non-league win as we review Tuesday’s prep baseball action on the Harbor.
PREP BASEBALL
Centralia 9, Aberdeen 8
A late Aberdeen rally fell a run short in a 9-8 loss to Centralia in a 2A Evergreen Conference game on Tuesday at Pioneer Park in Aberdeen.
The Bobcats (2-1 overall, 0-1 2A Evergreen) and Tigers (2-1, 1-0) were knotted up at 7-7 at the end of seven innings.
After a scoreless eight inning, Centralia plated two runs in the top of the ninth on a two-run double by sophomore Jake Johnson.
Aberdeen responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning when freshman Mylan Bruner scored on a single by senior Ethan LaRocque.
With LaRocque on first representing the tying run, Centralia pitcher Marcus Miller struck out Aberdeen senior Baylor Ainsworth to end the game.
Errors hurt Aberdeen as the Bobcats outhit the Tigers 9-7, but five Aberdeen errors led to six unearned runs by Centralia.
Bubba Jones took the loss for the Cats, allowing four runs – three earned on five hits with five walks and five strikeouts in five innings of relief.
Aberdeen’s Hunter Eisele started and allowed five runs – two earned – on four hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in four innings of work.
Jones had three hits to lead the Bobcats offense.
Aberdeen will run it back with the Tigers at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in Centralia.
Centralia 200 301 102 – 9 7 4
Aberdeen 020 023 001 – 8 9 5
WP: Miller (3.2 IP, 2R, ER, 3H, 6K). LP: Jones (5IP, 4R, ER, 3H, 5K, 5BB).
Leading hitters: Centralia – Miller (2-2, 2R, 2RBI); Ballard (1-3, 2R); Johnson (1-5, 2B, 2RBI); Sprague (1-4, R); Jenkins (1-5, RBI); Seymour (1-2, 2R). Aberdeen – Jones (3-5, 2R, RBI, 2 SB); Baker (2-5, 3B, RBI, SB); Ancich (1-4, 2B, R, RBI); Eisele (1-4, R); Ainsworth (1-4, R); LaRocque (1-1, RBI).
Elma 7, Castle Rock 6
Elma held back a late Castle Rock rally to earn a 7-6 win in the Eagles’ home-opener on Tuesday in Elma.
The Eagles (3-1) took a 7-3 lead into the top of the seventh inning, but Castle Rock (2-1) rallied to trim the deficit to one in the bottom half of the innings.
Rockets senior Justus Lefever singled and came all the way around to score a “Little League home run,” driving in teammate Trevor Rogen on the play to cut Elma’s lead to 7-5.
Lafever made it a 7-6 game when he scored on Steven Randolph’s RBI ground out one batter later.
Owen Erickson then stepped to the plate representing the tying run, but Elma pitcher Grant Vessey got Erickson to fly out to Carter Studer in right field, ending the game.
“Not the performance we wanted out of our home opener but we will take the win, learn and move on,” Elma head coach Travis Vessey said. “Too many errors, mental mistakes and just plain forgot how to do baseball things at times. … All and all we are happy with the win and trust our guys to clean up the mental mistakes going forward.”
Elma outfielders Eastin Wright (2-3, 3B, R) and Brody Palmer (2-3, 2R) had two hits apiece to lead the Eagles offense.
Grant Vessey earned the win, allowing three earned runs on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts in four innings pitched.
Ethan Camus started on the bump for Elma and allowed three runs – one earned – on a pair of hits and two walks in three innings pitched.
The Eagles face Aberdeen at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in Aberdeen.
Castle Rock 012 000 3 – 6 5 6
Elma 032 110 x – 7 7 3
WP: Vessey (4 IP, 3ER, 3H, 6K, BB). LP: Williams (4.1 IP, 7R, ER, 7H, 5K, 3BB).
Leading hitters: Castle Rock – Rogen (2-4, 2R); Lafever (1-3, R, 3RBI); Kerker (1-3, R); Cochran (1-3, RBI). Elma – Wright (2-3, 3B, R); Palmer (2-3, 2R); Vessey (1-4, RBI); Dunlap (1-3, R, RBI); Gustafson (1-2, R, RBI).
Ocosta 11, North Beach 0
Ocosta made quick work of North Beach in the first game of a double header, beating the Hyaks 11-0 in five innings.
The Wildcats (3-0, 1-0 2B Pacific) led 9-0 after two innings thanks to a seven-run second inning that included RBI singles from Bryce Bottleson, Dominick Hanson-Miranda and Alex McGowan.
Andrew Martin led Ocosta with three hits, a double and two runs scored.
McGowan went 2-3 with an RBI for the Wildcats.
Logan White earned the victory, holding the Hyaks (0-2, 0-1) scoreless on one hit and two strikeouts in 1 2-3 innings pitched.
Kenny Frank singled for North Beach’s only base hit in the game.
The Hyaks defense committed as many errors (7) as Ocosta had hits.
North Beach 000 00 – 0 1 7
Ocosta 271 1x – 11 7 0
WP: White (1.2 IP, 0R, H, 2K). LP: O’Hare (2 IP, 9R, 3ER, 5H, 6K, 3BB).
Leading hitters: North Beach – Frank (1-1). Ocosta – Martin (3-4, 2B, 2R, RBI); McGowan (2-3, RBI); Bottleson (1-3, R, RBI); Hanson-Miranda (1-2, R, RBI).
Ocosta 17, North Beach 12
Ocosta defeated North Beach 17-12 in the second game of a double header on Tuesday in Westport.
Ocosta led 11-9 after just two innings of play and trailed 12-11 after North Beach’s Kyle Crooks gave the Hyaks the lead with an RBI double in the top of the third inning.
But Ocosta responded with six runs in the bottom of the third on just one hit – an Alex McGowan RBI single – as North Beach’s defense committed two errors to go along with three walks and two hit batters.
Due to a league rule change ahead of last season, the second game of 2B Pacific League double headers is considered a non-league game.
The game was called after four innings due to darkness.
Ocosta plays Montesano’s junior varsity team at 4 p.m. Friday in Montesano.
North Beach hosts Ilwaco in a twin bill starting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
North Beach 453 0 — 12 3 3
Ocosta (11)06 x – 17 9 6
WP: Bottleson (1.2 IP, 3R, 0ER, 3H, 2K, 2BB). LP: Johnson (2-2 IP, 11R, 2ER, 6H, 3K, 5BB).
Leading hitters: North Beach – Frank (2-2, 3B, 3R, 3RBI); O’Hare (2-3, 2R); Palmer (2-3, 3R, RBI); Carpenter (1-2, R, 3RBI); Crooks (1-2, 2B, 2RBI). Ocosta – White (3-3, 2 2B, 2R, 4RBI); Martin (2-2, 2B, 3R, RBI); Roehrich (2-3, 2R, 2RBI); Sevilla (1-2, R); Bottleson (1-2); Hanson-Miranda 1-1, 2R, 2RBI); Beard (1-2, 2R, RBI); Arbona (1-1, R, 2RBI); Marquez-Gonzalez (1-2, R, RBI); Bonina (0-0, 3R, RBI, 3BB).
