Napavine softball’s bats came on hot after a slow start as the Tigers recovered to pound out 15 hits in a 13-6 home win over Class 1A La Center Monday in a non-league clash.
Sophomore second baseman Grace Gall was on fire at the plate, going 4 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
“Gall had a heck of a day today,” Napavine coach Josh Fay said.
Six Tigers in total tallied a mult-hit games, including Makensee Taliaferro (2 for 5), Cailyn Milton (2 for 3), Tanner Simpson (2 for 4), Jordan Wilson (3 for 4) and Taylen Evander (2 for 4).
Evander added two RBIs and a run scored, while Wilson drove in two runs and scored two more and Simpson, Taliaferro, Dani Tupuola and Natalya Marcial all drove in a run a peice.
“We hit well,” Fay said. “Their (pitcher) kept us off-balance at first, but our kids adjusted.”
Milton pitched the first five innings for the Tigers, tallying 10 strikeouts and allowing six earned runs on six hits with one walk. Patricia Helsing closed, striking out three and surrendering two hits in two scoreless innings.
Fay praised both pitchers for keeping the Wildcats at bay while the offense completed the comeback.
La Center went up 3-0 in the first inning then 5-0 after plating two more in the top of the third before the Tigers punched back with four runs in the bottom of the third to close the deficit to one.
The Tigers then plated two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth before erupting for six runs in the sixth to create a commanding lead.
“We got contributions from all our kids,” Fay said. “We did some good things once we got going.”
Napavine (3-0) next hosts Toutle Lake at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday, with the first game being a league match and the second being non-league.
