Prep Softball: Hammond Scores Winning Run as Napavine Edges Elma 7-6

NAPAVINE — As Napavine’s Hannah Hammond rounded third base in the seventh inning of a tie game, coach Chad Williams was trying to hold her up at third — but Hammond didn’t listen.

Hammond scored on the play for the go-ahead run to help the Tigers earn a 7-6 win in a nonleague softball game against Elma here on Wednesday.

“She ran through my stop sign and it worked out OK,” Williams said. “She did a good job. When she originally picked me up going around second, I was waving her in and I don’t think she looked at me after that so I was happy she missed the sign.”

Abbi Music pitched all seven innings for the Tigers, allowing seven hits while striking out 12 batters.

Music helped her own cause at the plate, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs. Maddie Thompson had a hit and two runs and Hammond had a hit and a run.

“I was really happy with our bats. They made a pitching change and it took us a while to adjust to that,” Williams said. “I was really proud of the kids for coming up with the run in the end, great job stealing the momentum back.”

Napavine got off to a strong start, scoring two runs in the first inning. The Tigers scored a run in the second before Ada Williams stepped to the plate and cleared the bases with a three-run home run for a 6-0 lead.

Elma started to get the bats going in the later innings and scored three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at six.

“Anytime you see a pitcher the third time through a lineup, I don’t care how good they are, they get more and more comfortable in the box,” Williams said. “She (Music) did a great job of finishing the game strong. I’m proud of her.”

In the top of the seventh, Hammond knocked a single up the middle. Kaiya Larson came to the plate and hit the ball to third base, but a throwing error helped Hammond score all the way from first base to take the lead.

Music struck out two batters in the seventh to secure the win.

“I’ll tell you what, nervous is a good word, but we had four or five pop-ups in a row and honestly, we sat down, we talked about it, we hit the ball on the ground, good things happen,” Williams said. “Anybody can catch a pop up. As soon as we started hitting the ball on the ground again, that was a key.”

Napavine (4-0, 3-0) travels to Kalama on Friday for a Central 2B League game.

Jones, Squibb Homer in Winlock’s Win Over Naselle

WINLOCK — Cheleena Squibb and Karlie Jones both hit home runs here Wednesday as Winlock cruised in a 14-4 win over Naselle in nonleague softball action.

Squibb went 3 for 3 at the plate with a solo homer, while Jones was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in the first inning and an RBI triple in the third frame.

“It was nice to win, I think they did what I was hoping they would do. It was good to get a good confidence boost in the first part of the game,” Winlock coach Chantel Nelson said. “They did a good job of earning seven runs, did a better job of listening to the coach, executing correctly and doing the best they could.”

Jenna Jones started for Winlock, striking out seven without a walk and allowing four hits in four innings with one run. She also hit a double and knocked in two runs.

“(Cheleena) Squibb, we’re working on not trying to lift the ball with every swing and she got the ball on the ground,” Nelson said. “Madison Lofberg executed a beautiful bunt we’ve been trying to work on. Karlie Jones had some really great hits today.”

Raychel Squibb added two hits and an RBI for the Cardinals.

Winlock (1-3, 0-3 Central 2B League) plays at Napavine on Monday.

Waring’s Grand Slam Pushes Bearcats Past Tigers

With the game tied at 11 in the seventh inning, W.F. West’s Annika Waring stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and knocked the ball over the fence for a walkoff grand slam and a 15-11 Bearcat win in a nonleague softball game with Battle Ground here on Wednesday.

“It was one of those days where we had three home runs at that point, and we’d been hitting the ball pretty well. That’s exactly who you want to have up, the person who’s hot that day,” W.F. West coach Caty Lieseke said. “I knew she had the pop in her bat. She’s such a gamer, I knew she was going to make something happen.”

W.F. West’s bats were on fire on Wednesday, as Paetynn Lopez, Olivia Dean and Ashlyn Whalen all hit home runs. Waring was 4 for 5 at the plate and Whalen was 3 for 4.

Ashlee Vadala got the start in the circle and struck out 13 batters in the win.

The Bearcats led 2-1 after two innings and W.F. West added six runs in the third and another run in the fourth for a 9-1 lead after four innings.

W.F. West was up 11-2 going into the seventh inning, but Battle Ground scored nine runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 11.

“They got rolling, got a few hits going and the wheels fell off,” Lieseke said, adding that Battle Ground added a few homers of its own. “We made Vadala have to work a little harder than we needed to, all with two outs. We were able to calm down enough to get that third out and able to come back and take care of that business in the bottom.”

Waring stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases full, and hit a long ball secure the victory for the Bearcats.

W.F. West had seven errors in the game.

The Bearcats (2-1) travel to Auburn-Riverside High School on Saturday for a doubleheader, facing Monroe at 10:45 a.m. followed by a 1 p.m. game against Bethel.