Prep Fastpitch: Pirates Cruise 18-0 in Season Opener

POWER PITCHERS: Three Area Pitchers Tonight, from Adna, Rainier and Napavine, Threw No-Hitters on Friday

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The defending 2B state champs picked up right where they left off in 2019, using solid pitching and explosive batwork in an 18-0 shutout victory in three innings over Winlock in their season opener at home Friday.

Adna ace Haley Rainey, the reigning 2B State Player of the Year, combined with Ava Simms to throw a no-hitter against Winlock. Rainey fanned six batters in two innings while Simms struck out the side in the top of the third to end the game.

Rainey said it felt good just getting the opportunity to play again for the first time since last summer, when the Pirates played in a three-inning preseason jamboree the day before high school sports were shut down for the year.

“It was so exciting,” Rainey said. “It’s been so much fun. I’m just glad we get something, you know? We were all talking at school how excited we were and how ready we were to play. We spent two years preparing and I’m just glad we came out strong and competed.”

Rainey and Karlee Von Moos each led the team offensively with three hits, with Von Moss adding a game-high 3 RBIS, while Emma Eko added two hits and Kaylee Ashley smoked a two-run homer that easily cleared the center field wall in the second inning. Ashley and Natalie Loose each finished with two RBIs, while Brooklyn Loose walked twice.

For Winlock, starting pitcher Karlie Jones threw 1 ⅓ innings and finished with a 7.20 ERA. The Cardinals were coming off a 24-5 season-opening victory over Kalama on Wednesday under first-year head coach Lauren Dumoulin.

Adna moves to 1-0 and coach Bruce Pocklington said it was nice getting back on their home field for a live game for the first time since 2019.

“It’s been a long time,” Pocklington said. “We didn’t look as sharp as we needed to, swinging the bat, but we haven’t been on the field in two years. We’ll get better. We had good excitement, good energy. My pitchers threw very well.”

Adna travels to Montesano on Saturday to face Pe Ell-Willapa Valley, a rematch of the 2019 state title game, in a three-inning jamboree at 3 p.m. The Pirates also play at 5 p.m. but Pocklington isn’t sure yet who they will face. Winlock falls to 1-1 and will travel to Toutle Lake on Monday.

Bailey Elwell Throws No-Hitter

In a mind-blowing performance, Rainier ace Bailey Elwell tossed a 19-strikeout no-hitter to help the Mountaineers to a 11-1 season-opening road victory over Stevenson on Friday. 

“I am speechless,” Rainier coach Kyle Greenwood said. “It was absolutely incredible. Her confidence translated to the rest of the team and really settled the early nerves of the first game of the season.”



Stevenson’s lone run, funnily enough, came in the first inning when Elwell walked four batters to give the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead. But Elwell settled in for the pitching performance of a lifetime while the Mountaineers’ bat provided help, scoring multiple runs in the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings for the victory. Elwell threw 16 first-pitch strikes on the day.

Alyssa Lofgren led the attack offensively for Rainier with a game-high four hits, while Keira Anderson and Brooklyn Swenson each added three hits. Lofgren and Anderson each drove in two runs, as well.

Rainier (1-0) hosts Morton-White Pass on Monday.

PWV Prevails in Season Opener

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley showed it hasn’t lost a step since its last game, which was the 2B state title match in May 2019.

Ace Olivia Matlock threw a 12-strikeout no-hitter as the Titans shut out Elma 13-0 in five innings for a season-opening road victory Friday.

“She did her thing today,” PWV coach Ken Olson said. “We were a little more than they could handle.”

Matlock was equally as potent at the plate, blasting a two-run homer and a triple while driving in five runs. Raegan Portmann was flawless, going 4-for-4 with a double in the leadoff spot while Marissa Frasier was 2-for-4 and Ava Bush was 2-for-3 with a double. Dani Shannon added a home run and two RBIs on 2-for-3 batting.

The Titans tallied 15 total hits and committed zero errors on the day.

“We played solid defense,” Olson said. “It was good to see this early in the season. We had a good outing at the plate and Olivia threw well.”

PWV’s junior varsity team also won 9-1. The Titans (1-0) get a rematch of the 2019 state title game when they face Adna at 3 p.m. Saturday in Montesano during a three-inning jamboree.