Aberdeen returned to form while Hoquiam won for the third time in its past four games as we review Wednesday’s prep softball action.
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PREP SOFTBALL
Aberdeen 6, Shelton 0
Coming off what was a sub-par performance one game earlier, Aberdeen was back in top form en route to a 6-0 win over Shelton on Wednesday at Aberdeen’s Bishop Athletic Complex.
Coming off an uncharacteristic 9-8 win over fifth-place Centralia on Monday – one in which Aberdeen committed six errors and blew a three-run lead in the seventh inning – the Bobcats (17-2 overall, 12-2 2A Evergreen) appeared to regain their form against the last-place Highclimbers (3-16, 1-13).
Aberdeen opened the scoring on Senior Night when senior infielder Abby Mainio singled with Bobcats first baseman Maysinn Jones and shortstop Zoe Vessey on base in the bottom of the second inning. Jones and Vessey would score on a Shelton error on the play to go up 2-0.
Vessey led off the fourth with a single, stole second and advanced to third on another Shelton error. The Bobcats speedster came in to score on a Kadence Braaten ground-ball single to left for a 3-0 lead.
RYAN SPARKS / THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen’s Kadence Braaten (left) attempts to break up a double play against Shelton shortstop Hailey Schuffenhauer during the Bobcats’ 6-0 win on Wednesday in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen’s offense added three more runs in the fifth. Right fielder Scotlyn Lecomte reached on an error to leadoff the frame, stole second and crossed the plate when catcher Alyssa Yakovich singled and reached second on a Shelton error.
Pitcher Lilly Camp followed with a double and – after Shelton pitcher Kaylee Rix retired the next two Cats batters – Vessey came up clutch with a double off the top of the fence in center field to drive in two runs, staking Aberdeen to a 6-0 lead.
Camp made the lead stick, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out 17 – including five of the last six Shelton hitters – to record the shutout victory.
RYAN SPARKS / THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen starting pitcher Lilly Camp allowed two hits and struck out 17 en route to a 6-0 win over Shelton on Tuesday in Aberdeen.
Vessey led Aberdeen with a three-hit day, scoring a pair of runs while driving in two runs in the win.
Yakovich went 2 for 4 for a Bobcats offense that had seven different players collect a hit in the game.
“The adjustments made at practice were a focus on fundamentals,” Aberdeen head coach Jimmy McDaniel said regarding the turnaround from Monday’s game. “We reviewed all the fundamentals, everything from base coverages to base-running and general fielding. … It was just like a reset and we let them know those things are going to happen. In the (Centralia) game, they happened in spurts. … We recovered nicely. Today, it showed. … They looked good out there today.”
The win was also a return to form for Camp, who walked 10 in the Centralia game and threw 172 pitches.
“I made some adjustments today and my mentality was different,” said Camp, who said she made some slight mechanical adjustments and took ice baths to get her body ready for the game. “Knowing that this was my last game on this field, I think that just really put me in a good mindset compared to the last game. I didn’t even think anything of it.”
Camp threw 93 pitches on Wednesday and was particularly sharp with 73 strikes.
McDaniel had planned on limiting Camp’s pitch count on Wednesday, but with Aberdeen still in a race for the top seed in the league and his ace right-hander showing no signs of wear-and-tear, McMillan left Camp – as well as all his seniors – in the lineup for the duration of the Senior Night game.
“She’s been preparing herself to throw every single game. She wants to be out there,” he said. “Originally, we were going to try to pull all the Seniors at some point, but plans change in the middle of the game. She was rolling along fine and her body wasn’t bothering her. … All the seniors wanted to be out there and I was glad I was able to keep them all out there. … I’m glad we got to share the last four years with them. They’ve accomplished a lot and will leave a big legacy.”
RYAN SPARKS / THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen right fielder Scotlyn Lecomte makes a catch during a 6-0 win over Shelton on Wednesday at the Bishop Athletic Complex in Aberdeen.
“I think this is going to set the pace for us,” Camp said of the win. “We know what we’re doing.”
With the victory, Aberdeen remains in a tie for first place in the league standings with Tumwater, which defeated Black Hills 13-2 on Wednesday.
An Aberdeen win and a Tumwater loss in the regular-season finale would give the Bobcats the top seed in the league entering the 2A District 4 Tournament.
Aberdeen plays at W.F. West while Tumwater takes on Shelton in Shelton at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
Shelton 000 000 0 – 0 2 5
Aberdeen 020 130 x – 6 10 0
WP: Camp (7 IP, 0R, 2H, BB, 17K). LP: Rix (6 IP, 6R, ER, 10H, 3K).
Leading hitters: Shelton – Schuffenhauer (1-3, 3B); Rix (1-2). Aberdeen – Vessey (3-3, 2B, 2R, 2RBI); Yakovich (2-4); Gaddis (1-1, R); Camp (1-3, 2B); Jones (1-3, R); Braaten (1-3, RBI); Mainio (1-3).
Hoquiam 13, Ilwaco 6
A young Hoquiam team is showing some positive signs for the future as the end of the season draws near, winning for the third time in its past four games with a 13-6 win over Ilwaco on Wednesday in Hoquiam.
The Grizzlies (5-13) rallied from down three runs in the top of the first to take the lead with four runs in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by a three-run double from senior standout Lexi LaBounty.
Leading 7-6 in the fourth, pitcher Hailee Burgess drove in second baseman Avery Templar with a triple for an 8-6 lead.
First baseman Malia Ervin then stepped to the plate and drove an 0-1 pitch over the center-field fence for a two-run home run to stake Hoquiam to a 10-6 lead.
DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Hoquiam first baseman Malia Ervin belted a home run during a 13-6 win over Ilwaco on Wednesday in Hoquiam.
The Grizzlies added three more runs in the fifth, capped by an Ervin RBI single to score catcher Mya Standstipher to go up 13-6.
Burgess threw six innings in relief of Avery Brodhead to earn the win, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and four walks with three strikeouts. The Grizzlies right-hander held Ilwaco scoreless over the final three innings of the game.
Brodhead allowed three runs – two earned – on two hits and two walks in the first inning.
Hoquiam plays at Raymond-South Bend at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
Ilwaco 311 100 0 – 6 9 6
Hoquiam 412 330 x – 13 11 2
WP: Burgess (6 IP, 3R, 2ER, 7H, 4BB, 3K). LP: Frame (6 IP, 13R, 5ER, 11H, 2BB, 5K).
Leading hitters: Ilwaco – Anderson (2-4); Dille (2-3, 2R, RBI); Graves (2-4, 2RBI); Frame (1-4, RBI); Wirkkala (1-2); Petry (1-4, 2B, RBI). Hoquiam – Ervin (3-3, HR, 2R, 3RBI); Burgess (2-4, 3B, 2R, 2RBI); Brodhead (1-5, R); Standstipher (1-4, 3R); LaBounty (1-4, 2B, 2R, 4RBI); Mills (1-4, 2B); Billie (1-4); Hinchen (1-4, 3B, R); Templer (0-2, 2R, 2BB).
Raymond-South Bend 19, Chief Leschi 0
Raymond-South Bend had little issues getting past winless Chief Leschi in a 19-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday in South Bend.
The Ravens (12-4, 8-2 2B Pacific) had the game well in hand after a seven-run first inning – highlighted by a three-run double by third baseman Berklee Morley – and 12 runs in the second that included seven RBI hits, paced by infielder Kassie Koski’s bases-loaded triple.
RSB had five extra-base hits in the game and five different players posted multi-hit games, led by pitcher Summer Stigall, who went 3 for 3 with a double and three RBI.
Stigall allowed no runs or hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in three innings to pick up the win.
Chief Leschi 000 – 0 0 2
RSB 7(12)x – 19 16 0
WP: Stigall (3 IP, 0R, 0H, BB, 8K). LP: Dillon (2 IP, 19R, 14ER, 16H, 2BB).
Leading hitters: RSB – Stigall (3-3, 2B, 3RBI); Lewis (2-3, R, 2RBI); Glazier (2-3, 3B, 2R); Koski (2-3, 3B, 2R, 3RBI); San (2-2, 2R, 3RBI); Pine (1-1); Enlow (1-1, 2B, 2R, RBI); Morley (1-2, 2B, 2R, 3RBI); Gonzales (1-1, R, RBI); Houk (1-1, 2R).
Raymond-South Bend 22, Chief Leschi 1
Raymond-South Bend needed just three innings to beat Chief Leschi 22-1 in the nightcap on Wednesday.
Talented center fielder Emma Glazier opened the scoring with an RBI triple to score Lix Lewis for the first run of the Ravens’ four-run top of the first inning.
Lewis and Glazier then hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs to lead off a six-run second inning, capped by a Josie Houk RBI double to put RSB up 10-0.
The Ravens belted six extra-base hits to score 12 runs in the third inning, including back-to-back RBI triples from the 1-2 punch of Lewis and Glazier.
Lewis, Glazier and Kassie Koski had three hits apiece for a Ravens offense that had 15 hits – 11 for extra bases – with catcher Ava Pine belting two doubles in the game.
Macey Enlow earned the win in the circle for RSB, allowing one earned run on two walks and three strikeouts without surrendering a hit in two innings pitched.
Maddy San allowed a walk with two strikeouts in one scoreless inning pitched for the Ravens.
RSB sits solidly in second place in the 2B Pacific League and hosts Hoquiam in a none-league game at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
RSB 46(12) – 22 15 1
Chief Leschi 010 – 1 0 3
WP: Enlow (2 IP, R, ER, 0H, 2BB, 3K). LP: n/a.
Leading hitters: RSB – Lewis (3-4, HR, 3B, 3R, 3RBI); Glazier (3-3, HR, 2 3B, 4R, 3RBI); Koski (3-3, 2B, 4R, 2RBI); Pine (2-3, 2 2B, RBI); White (1-1, R, RBI); McMullen (1-2, 2B, 2R, RBI); Boothe (1-1, 2B, R, RBI); Houk (1-3, 2B, RBI); San (0-2, R, RBI); Enlow (0-0, 2R, RBI); Morley (0-3, 2RBI).
Toledo 11, Ocosta 0
A close game turned into a rout in Ocosta’s 11-0 loss to Toledo on Wednesday in Toledo.
The Wildcats (6-4) trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning until Toledo (13-4-2) erupted for eight runs in the frame, capped by a three-run home run to center field by Kailea Lairson to end the game via the 10-run rule.
Jessie Gilbert and Sophie Olive had a hit apiece for the Wildcats.
Four Wildcats errors led to seven unearned runs by Toledo.
Ocosta plays at Naselle at 4 p.m. on Friday.
Ocosta 000 00 – 0 2 4
Toledo 102 08 – 11 11 0
WP: Carver (5 IP, 0R, 2H, BB, 10K). LP: Rosander (4.2 IP, 11R, 4ER, 11H, 2BB, K).
Leading hitters: Ocosta – Gilbert (1-2, SB); Olive (1-2). Toledo – Z. Norberg (2-3, R, 2RBI); Holter (2-4, 2B, 2R, 2RBI); Hurley (2-3, 3B, 2R); Z. Norberg (2-3, 3B, R, 2RBI); X. Norberg (1-3, R); Lairson (1-4, HR, 2R, 3RBI); Carver (1-2); Cooper (1-3, RBI); T. Miller (1-4, 3B, R).
Other games
DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Hoquiam pitcher Hailee Burgess earned the win in a 13-6 victory over Ilwaco on Wednesday at John C. Gable Park in Hoquiam.
