Falling into an early hole, and having a hard time getting out of innings defensively, the Napavine softball team fell to 1A Elma at home Monday afternoon, 11-5.
The Tigers hit the ball well, making good contact and getting the ball in play for nine hits, but couldn’t muster timely outs to end innings, allowing the Eagles to score in each frame save for the seventh.
“We’re struggling defensively with some things,” Tigers coach Josh Fay said. “Offensively it isn’t bad, but too many extra outs, and when that happens our pitching gets into trouble.”
Napavine’s pair of pitchers — Hannah Fay and Cailyn Milton — threw plenty of strikes and induced grounders, but a slight mistake here or there cost the Tigers chances to end innings, and stop the bleeding.
The pair combined for seven strikeouts over seven innings, with 10 of the 11 runs earned on 13 hits.
At the plate, Hayden Kaut and Hannah Fay both went 3 for 4 with a run scored and three RBIs combined between the pair.
“Hayden Kaut and Hannah Fay really hit the ball well today,” Josh Fay said. “They’re doing a nice job of squaring it up, that’s a bright spot for us. We have to improve defensively and be better, and the rest of it will come around.”
The Tigers (1-2) take on La Center on the road Wednesday, weather permitting, at 4 p.m.
