Wednesday's 2B Softball: Tigers Edge Pirates for Spot in District Championship Game

Napavine’s Maddie Thompson hit an RBI double in the eighth inning to bring home Abbi Music and defeat Adna 3-1 in a District 4 2B softball tournament semifinal game at Fort Borst Park in Centralia on Wednesday.

The win puts the Tigers back into the district championship game for the second straight season and sets up a rematch of the 2017 district — and state — championship game against Pe Ell-Willapa Valley at 6 p.m. on Saturday in Centralia.

“It feels good. We’re still checking off boxes,” Napavine coach Chad Williams said. “We’ve got some goals to reach and so far, so good.”

Adna moves to the consolation side of the bracket and plays Winlock at 4 p.m. in Centralia on Saturday, with the winner clinching a berth to state.

“I thought our team played really well today. We didn’t take advantage of bases loaded, second and third with no outs but we’re facing a pretty good pitcher too,” Adna coach Bruce Pocklington said. “Napavine hung in there and then they took advantage of a pretty good hitter hitting one out. They just hung in all day and won a game on some clutch hitting.”

It was a battle between the two pitchers, as Music struck out 10 batters in a complete game effort while Haley Rainey had nine strikeouts for the Pirates.

“Haley threw the heck out of it today which she’s been doing,” Pocklington said of the freshman pitcher. “She’s pretty good, she gave up a couple hits that maybe should have been caught but Haley’s fantastic for us right now. I’m excited about that.”

Music was 2 for 3 at the plate with two runs and an RBI, including a solo home run in the sixth inning to tie the game at one.

Adna’s Emma Eko and Darian Humphrey were each 2 for 4 at the plate.

The Pirates took an early lead as Skye Snow walked with the bases loaded to bring home Ellie Sliva for a 1-0 after one inning.

It was a familiar position for Napavine and the Tigers finally broke through to tie the game with Music’s home run in the sixth to send the game to extra innings.

“We’ve done it before, we’ve been here before. We are a senior laden team so just keep reminding them it’s a 1-0 ball game,” Williams said. “Anything can change the momentum and for us, it was a big momentum changer when Abbi did get ahold of one.”

Thompson’s RBI double broke the tie in the eighth and Thompson scored on an error in the next at-bat.

The Pirates defeated Winlock 14-1 in their only meeting of the season and Pocklington is confident his team will bounce back on Saturday.

“I was very happy with our effort all the way around today and I told them if we play like that, we should be OK,” Pocklington said. “We’ve got to show up and play like that and we’ve got to swing the bats, that’s what it comes down to.”

Napavine lost the district championship 10-0 last season, but the two teams split a doubleheader in Pe Ell this season. This Tiger team is ready to eat and hoist the district championship trophy.

“I don’t have to tell them much, they’re pretty hungry,” Williams said.

PWV Wallops Wildcats to Reach District Title Game

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley came from behind and tacked on four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to invoke the mercy rule and defeat Ocosta, 15-5, in five innings at Borst Park on Wednesday in a 2B District 4 softball tournament semifinal.

With Napavine’s 3-1 victory over Adna in the other semifinal game, the Titans (19-3) are set to once again face the Tigers in the district championship game for the second consecutive year. The highly-anticipated matchup will take place Saturday at 6 p.m., at Borst Park.

“I just think think the experience on our team in these games, these big games, is really showing right now, especially in a game like that one,” Olson said. “That’s a good team over there. They made some errors that gave us about three runs...that’s a strong hitting lineup. You just have to be careful with those guys and not give them anything good.”

Sid Pollard went 2 for 4, with a triple, two RBIs, and two runs for PWV. Jeorgi Ritzman had a 3 for 4 day at the plate, racking up a double, two runs, and two RBIs.

“Throughout our lineup, our eight, nine hitters got hits and then our big hitters hit the ball hard when they hit it,” Olson said. “The first time through, it takes us a while to get going. Once we get going, it’s infectious. Just proud of those guys.”

PWV scored their 15 runs on just eight hits, taking advantage of six Wildcat errors.

Ocosta led 3-0 after one inning, but the Titans answered with three runs in the second inning to tie the game.

The two squads were deadlocked at four after three innings, but the Titans refused to remain quiet with a seven-run outburst in the fourth frame, followed by the final four runs to end it early.

PWV won last year’s contest against Napavine 10-0 to win the district title but split a regular season doubleheader in Pe Ell. Regardless of the outcome on Saturday, Olson is happy his team is going back to the state tournament.

“We’re going to state and no matter what, even if it happens to not go your way on Saturday night, we’re opposite of the bracket,” Olson said. “Maybe we’ll see them in the (state) championship. One game at a time at this point.”

Cardinals Upset Ducks to Keep State Hopes Alive

Winlock scored four runs in the fourth inning and held off Toutle Lake down the stretch to earn an 8-7 win in a District 4 2B softball tournament elimination game at Fort Borst Park in Centralia on Wednesday.

The Cardinals take on Adna — who lost 3-1 to Napavine in the district semifinals — at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Borst Park, with the winner punching their ticket to the state tournament. The loser will have one more game to try and claim the fifth and final spot into the state tournament.

“I was not expecting the fight that we had today. When we played both of these teams during the regular season, we were 10 or more runned within three or five innings,” Winlock coach Chantel Nelson said. “So we went back to basics and worked on small goals, make contact, field a ball that comes to you and let go of everything else.”

Cheleena Squibb was 3 for 4 with two runs, three RBIs and a 2-run home run in the second inning.

Jenna Jones was 3 for 3 with two doubles, three runs and an RBI and Addison Hall was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI for the Cardinals.

Toutle Lake led 3-2 after three innings, but the big fourth inning put Winlock in front 6-4. The Cardinals scored a run in the fifth and sixth inning to secure the win.

Toutle Lake won both games against Winlock in the regular season, 17-1 and 15-3. Nelson said the difference from those games was hitting the ball and confidence in their fielding.

“When we played them last month in a doubleheader, we were still adjusting where to put each other on the field and trusting each other when they threw the ball,” Nelson said. “I think today, they were able to execute if the ball came to them and they were doing the right thing and making the right plays.”

Winlock bounced back from a 12-0 defeat against Pe Ell-Willapa Valley in the quarterfinals and is now one win away from earning a spot in the state tournament.

“Play the same way we just did, a lot of intensity,” Nelson said. “When we don’t talk and when we aren’t really very verbal, we seem to lose our energy. I think if we can keep each other in it by being silly and goofy and loud, that’s the best we can do.”

Loggers Bat it Around to Eliminate Seagulls

The Loggers offense came alive to stay alive, as Onalaska slapped 20 hits to eliminate Raymond by a score of 14-9 in a loser-out 2B District 4 softball tournament consolation game at Borst Park on Wednesday.

Raymond built a firm foundation early with a seven-run first inning. The Loggers answered back with five runs of their own followed by an additional run in the third, but it was the bottom half of the game that saw the Loggers pull away. Onalaska scored eight runs in the final three frames of work to close the door on the Seagulls’ season.

Olivia Mitten led the Logger charge with a perfect 4 for 4 performance from the plate, homering in the sixth inning en route to collecting three RBIs and two runs of her own. Amy Henderson went 3 for 4 with three runs and two RBIs, while Hayli Howard added three runs and an RBI on her 3 for 4 effort.

The Loggers (13-8) will take on Ocosta at Borst Park in a winner-to-state game at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Quarterfinal Results

Oster Walks it Off to Blank Loggers Early

Cortney Oster didn’t have the best outing from the plate but her lone hit was a meaningful one.

Oster hit a double in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Napavine Tigers their 10th run for the 10-0 walkoff victory over Onalaska at Borst Park in 2B District 4 Tournament softball action on Wednesday.

Oster finished it out, but it was Central 2B League MVP Abbi Music who put yet another feather in her cap, both from the plate and the pitching circle. Music tossed a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts in five innings.

Music packaged her pitching effort with a terrific offensive outing, going 3 for 3 with five RBIs, launching a home run in the third frame.

The Tigers managed to score 10 runs on just eight hits, due in part to four Onalaska errors.

Pirates Cruise Past Seagulls En Route to Semifinals

The Adna Pirates picked up right where they left off after blanking Kalama on Monday, throttling Raymond, 11-1, in five innings of a 2B District 4 softball tournament quarterfinal matchup at Borst Park on Wednesday.

The domination began and thrived due to Jennika Poppe’s performance in the circle. Poppe tossed 11 strikeouts in a complete five innings, allowing two hits, an earned run, and no walks.

It was the offense that brought the affair to an early close, however, as Adna peppered 12 hits to score all 11 runs in the second and third innings.

The offensive flurry was championed by Haley Rainey and Olivia Rodriguez, who mirrored each other by going 2 for 3 with two RBIs, and two runs before capping the identical performances with respective third inning homers.

Ruby Bower went 2 for 2 from the plate and added two runs, while Tyas Pannette also went 2 for 2, chipping in two RBIs and a run for Adna.

Note: Pe Ell-Willapa Valley defeated Winlock 12-0 in five innings and Ocosta won 14-4 over Toutle Lake in the other district quarterfinal games.