Pe Ell-Willapa Valley matched up against a pair of 3A softball squads Saturday at Auburn Riverside High School and came up just short in both games, falling to Yelm 5-4 and losing Bellevue 3-1.
“We decided to challenge ourselves with this year’s schedule and this was the real beginning,” PWV coach Ken Olson said, noting that all but two of the Titans’ non-league games are against upper-classification teams. “After seeing how we competed, I like where we are at.”
Olivia Matlock went 2 for 4 with a fourth-inning solo home run against Yelm, but the Tornados’ four first-inning runs were too much for PWV to overcome. Lauren Matlock was 2 for 4 with a double and a run, Merissa Frasier was 2 for 4 and Raegan Portmann singled and drove ini a run. The Titans out-hit Yelm 12-4 in the loss with every starter notching at least a single.
Bellevue — a 5-2 squad at the 3A level — provided another tough challenge in the Titans’ second game. Pacific Lutheran University-bound pitcher Rachel Treves held PWV to four hits, while Olivia Matlock held Bellevue to four hits and struck out nine with just one walk.
The Titans scored their lone run in the first inning on a double from Lauren Matlock, who was driven in by Olivia Matlock.
Portmann went 2 for 4 and played well at third base, Olson said, highlighting a single-handed double play that got the Titans out of a two-on, one-out jam.
“As a team, to get 16 hits in these two games, that was great to see against this level of competition,” Olson added.
PWV (2-2, 2-0 Pacific 2B League) plays a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Raymond on Tuesday.
