Softball Roundup: Montesano falls to 4A power Puyallup

Also: LaBounty slam highlights Hoquiam victory over Lakeside

Montesano fell to 4A Puyallup while Hoquiam rallied for a big comeback victory as we review a weekend full of prep and college softball games.

PREP SOFTBALL

Puyallup 12, Montesano 1

Montesano ran into a buzz saw that was the Puyallup Vikings in a 12-1 loss on Saturday at Dick Tagman Field in Montesano.

The Bulldogs (2-3 overall) cut into a 2-0 Vikings lead by manufacturing a run in the bottom of the second inning when Addi Kersker led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on an error and then to third on a passed ball.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Adda Potts drove in Kersker with a fielder’s choice RBI ground out to make it a 2-1 game.

That was the last threat Montesano would have in the game as no Bulldogs runner advanced past first base over the final three innings.

Meanwhile, Puyllaup’s offense hammered Montesano pitching for nine hits in the five-inning, mercy-rule victory, including three home runs.

Monte starter Riley Timmons took the loss, allowing 12 runs – eight earned – on nine hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 3 2-3 innings pitched.

PHOTO BY HAILEY BLANCAS Montesano relief pitcher Grace Gooding throws a pitch during a 12-1 loss to Puyallup on Saturday in Montesano.

PHOTO BY HAILEY BLANCAS Montesano relief pitcher Grace Gooding throws a pitch during a 12-1 loss to Puyallup on Saturday in Montesano.

Grace Gooding pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings of relief with a strikeout and no hits for Montesano.

The Bulldogs’ lone hit in the game came from leadoff hitter Liv Robinson, who led off the first inning with a single.

Montesano will resume play against Eatonville at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in Montesano.

Puyallup 205 50 – 12 9 1

Montesano 010 00 – 1 1 2

WP: Thomas (4 IP, R, 0ER, H, 3K, BB). LP: Timmons (3.2 IP, 12R, 8ER, 9H, 5K, 3BB).

Leading hitters: Puyallup – Smith (2-3, HR, 3R, 3RBI); Hargrove (2-3, 2B, 2R, RBI); Hardesty (2-3, 2B, R, RBI); Rigenbach (1-1, HR, 3R, 2RBI, 2BB); Havice (1-3, HR, R, 2RBI); Thomas (1-3, R, RBI). Montesano – Robinson (1-3), Potts (0-3, RBI).

Hoquiam 13, Lakeside 12

Hoquiam rallied late in the game for a rousing 13-12 win over Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) on Saturday in Montesano.

The Grizzlies (2-7) appeared to be well on their way to extending a seven-game losing streak after falling behind by seven runs heading to the bottom of the sixth inning.

But Hoquiam snapped the streak with a big sixth inning, scoring eight runs capped by a clutch Grand Slam home run off the bat of Lexi LaBounty.

LaBounty went 3-for-4 with eight RBI and picked up the win in the circle for the Grizzlies.

No further information was available for this game.

Hoquiam takes on Ilwaco at 1 p.m. on Tuesday at Ilwaco High School.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

GHC drops three of four over the weekend

The Grays Harbor College softball team dropped three of four games in two double headers over the weekend.

Playing in their first game in 13 days, the Chokers faced Chemeketa in the first game of a double header on Friday in Salem, Oregon.

The Chokers (7-13, 1-5 NWAC South) got off to a good start with a pair of runs on a Reese Wiseman solo home run and a Carron Blood single to score Kaitlyn Doucette in the top of the first inning.

But it was all Chemeketa after that as the Storm score 10 unanswered runs – six in the bottom of the fifth – to earn a 10-2 five-inning victory.

Doucette finished 2-for-3 with a run scored at the plate and allowed three runs – two earned – on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in 2-3 innings pitched to take the loss.

Blood – a former Hoquiam ace – allowed seven earned runs on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts in 4 2-3 innings of relief work.

GHC’s offense scored 10 runs in the first three innings en route to an 11-5 win in the nightcap.

The Chokers pounded 13 hits in the game, led by Wiseman (3-4, HR, 2R, 4RBI) and center fielder Ciara Mennitto (3-5, 2B, HR, R, 2RBI), each of whom had three hits and belted a home run.

They weren’t the only Chokers to have solid games at the dish as Doucette (2-4, 2B) and left fielder Kylee Espinoza (2-3, 3B, 2B, 2R, RBI) also had multiple hits in the game.

Ronni Graham picked up the win, allowing five earned runs on five hits and five walks in 3 2-3 innings pitched.

Blood allowed no runs on two hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 3 1-3 innings of relief.

On Saturday, GHC started its day with an 8-3 loss to Southwest Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, Oregon.

Trailing 5-0 heading to the top of the fourth inning, GHC got back into the game when catcher Madison Erickson and Mennitto hit back-to-back home runs to make it a 5-2 game.

Chokers second baseman Alexis Cudaback belted a solo homer in the top of the fifth to make it a 5-3 game, but SWOCC responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to hand GHC the 8-3 loss.

Mennitto went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI to lead GHC.

Graham took the loss, allowing eight runs – six earned – on eight hits with seven walks and seven strikeouts in six innings pitched.

The Chokers struggled to find its offense in losing the nightcap 4-1.

GHC had just one hit – an Erickson fourth-inning double – through six innings against SWOCC starting pitcher Avery Garbarek.

GHC trailed 4-0 heading to the top of the seventh inning and broke the shutout when Mennitto doubled to drive in pinch-runner Naomi Chavez.

With the tying run in the on-deck circle and one out, Garbarek struck out Desiree Becherer and got Riley Wheaton to ground out to end the game.

Blood allowed three earned runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts in suffering the loss.

Cudaback allowed an earned runs on two hits with a strikeout in 1 1-3 innings of relief for the Chokers.

Grays Harbor is scheduled to host Clark College for a double header scheduled to start at 3 p.m. on Wednesday in Aberdeen.