Prep Baseball Roundup: Elma keeps season alive with district-playoff win over Castle Rock

Also: Montesano run-ruled in quarterfinal loss; Pe Ell-Willapa Valley’s season ends in loss to Toledo

By Ryan Sparks • May 8, 2024 5:30 am

Elma avoided elimination while Montesano’s run as district champions ended in 1A District 4 Baseball Tournament action on Tuesday.

PREP BASEBALL

1A District 4 Tournament

Elma 4, Castle Rock 1

Elma kept its season alive with a 4-1 win over Castle Rock in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Tuesday at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.

The Eagles (12-9 overall) trailed 1-0 after an error led to an unearned run scored on a double play in the top of the first inning.

Elma gained the lead with four consecutive base hits to lead off the fourth inning, taking a 2-1 lead when senior Grant Vessey scored on a wild pitch.

With two on and one out in the sixth, Elma third baseman Bo Mueller singled to score Colt Landstrom and Jackson Alexander for a 4-1 lead.

That would be all the run-support the Eagles pitching staff would need as starter Carter Studer and reliever Vessey combined to hold Castle Rock to a run on three hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts.

With the win, Elma advances in the district tournament elimination round and will face La Center at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at Castle Rock High School.

Castle Rock 100 000 0 – 1 3 0

Elma 000 202 x – 4 10 1

WP: Studer (6 IP, R, 0ER, 3H, BB, 9K). LP: Rogen (5.2 IP, 4R, 4ER, 9H, 5B, 4K). SV: Vessey (IP, 0R, 0H, K).

Leading hitters: Castle Rock – Rogen (2-3); Lavefer (1-3, R). Elma – McGaffey (2-3); Wright (2-3, 2B, R); Alexander (1-2, R, RBI); Camus (2-3); Mueller (1-3, 2RBI); Palmer (1-4); Vessey (1-2, R).

Seton Catholic 11, Montesano 0

Montesano’s reign as district champions came to an end with an 11-0 five-inning loss to Seton Catholic in a 1A District 4 semifinal game on Tuesday in Hoquiam.

The Bulldogs (20-3) saw its 13 game-winning streak snapped after being held scoreless on just four hits and allowed nine runs in a disastrous fourth inning.

The Cougars (17-5) put Monte in a 2-0 hole in the bottom of the second inning on a walk, a double and a single off Bulldogs starting pitcher Cam Taylor.

The game got out of hand for Monte in the fourth as the first eight Seton Catholic batters reached base before the Bulldogs recorded an out. The Cougars capped the inning with a Dalton Woods two-run double to go up 11-0 and put the game in 10-run rule territory.

Looking to avoid the early shutout, Monte first baseman Kyle Kjesbu led off the fifth with a double followed by a Tyson Perry walk and a Bode Poler single to load the bases.

But Cougars starting pitcher Kolten Gesser got three straight fly-ball outs to end the threat, the game and Monte’s hopes of another district title.

Taylor took the loss, allowing six earned runs on six hits, three walks and four strikeouts in three innings pitched.

John Griffin (0.1 IP, 5R,, 5ER, 3H, BB) and Kolson Hendrickson (0.2 IP, 0R, 2H, K) pitched in relief for the Bulldogs.

Montesano will face King’s Way Christian in an elimination game set for Friday (time, location to be determined).

Montesano 000 00 – 0 4 1

Seton Catholic 020 9x – 11 11 0

WP: Gesser (5 IP, 0R, 4H, 3BB, 7K). LP: Taylor (3 IP, 6R, 6ER, 6H, 3BB, 4K).

Leading hitters: Seton Catholic – Woods (3-3, 2 2B, 2R, 4RBI); Gesser (2-3, 3RBI); Wiezcorek (2-2, R, RBI); Iverson (2-2, R, RBI); Peterson (1-1, 3R); Ruelas (1-3, R, 2RBI). Montesano – Poler (2-3); Col. Grubb (1-3); Kjesbu (1-2).

2B District Tournament

Toledo 9, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 0

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley’s season came to an end with a 9-0 loss to Toledo in a 2B District 4 elimination game on Tuesday at Napavine High School.

The Titans (16-6) fell behind on a run in the top of the second and three in the third highlighted by a leadoff home run by the Riverhawks’ Gavin Frewing.

Frewing hit his second home run of the game in the sixth, a three-run shot to put PWV behind 7-0.

Toledo (14-10) added a pair of runs on three hits, an error and a bases-loaded walk in the top of the seventh.

PWV managed just two hits off Riverhawks starting pitcher Rogan Stanley, who earned the win with a walk and five strikeouts in five shutout innings of work.

Connor “Cheese” Keeton took the loss, allowing 4 earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 2 1-3 innings pitched.

Liam Smaciarz (4.2 IP, 5R, 4ER, 7H, 4BB, K) pitched in relief for the Titans.

Toledo 013 003 2 – 9 15 2

PWV 000 000 0 – 0 2 1

WP: Stanley (5 IP, 0R, 2H, BB, 5K). LP: Keeton (2.1 IP, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 8H).

Leading hitters: Toledo – Frewing (3-4, 2 HR, 2R, 4RBI); Weeks (3-4, 2B, 3R); Ruiz (3-4, R); Stanley (3-3, R, 2RBI); Rodriguez (2-3, 2 RBI); Feigenbaum (1-3). PWV – Smaciarz (1-2); Jarvis (1-3).