FORKS — The Forks softball team got four home runs from Keira Johnson, Avery Dilley and Chloe Gaydeski in winning a wild slugfest 20-15 over Hoquiam at Fred Orr Park on Friday.
The Spartans also took advantage of 10 Hoquiam errors as they won their first game of the year.
After taking a 13-5 lead after just two innings, the Grizzlies rallied with seven runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut a big Forks lead down to 16-14. Forks iced the game with four runs in the bottom of the fifth as the teams combined for 31 hits and nine extra-base hits.
Johnson, Gaydeski and Lizzy Soto all had huge days. Johnson belted a pair of home runs, her second and third of the season, had four hits total, scored five runs and drove in four. Gaydeski hit a home run and a double, scored two runs and drove in four. Soto was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBIs.
Avery Dilley also hit a home run, scoring two runs and driving in two while Kaidence Rigby had a good game with two hits, two runs batted in and three runs scored. Bailey Johnson was also 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Gaydeski went the entire five innings on the mound. She gave up 14 hits and nine earned runs as offense ruled the day. She also struck out three.
Forks (0-0, 1-2-1) next hosts old Evergreen League foe Montesano at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in another nonleague game.
Forks 20, Hoquiam 15
Hoq. 2 3 0 3 7 x x — 15 14 10
Forks 5 8 2 1 4 x x — 20 17 3
Pitching
Forks — Gaydeski 5 IP, 14 H, 9 ER, 3 K.
Hitting
Forks — K. Johnson 4-5, 2HR, 5 R, 4 RBI; Gaydeski 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI; Soto 2-5, 2 R, 5 RBI, SB; Rigby 2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI; B. Johnson 2-5, R; Dilley 1-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; Romberg 1-3, 2 R.
Port Angeles 6, Gig Harbor 4
GIG HARBOR — Port Angeles’ Heidi Leitz had a great all-around game on the rubber and at the plate as the Roughriders softball team won its second game of the year, holding off 3A Gig Harbor 6-4 on Friday.
Leitz was in the circle the entire seven innings to earn the victory, throwing 120 pitches. She tallied 11 strikeouts, while walking one and giving up just six hits.
In the batter’s box, she was 3-for-4 with two singes, a double and an RBI.
The Riders committed just one error on the day. Coach Morgan Worthington said the Riders’ defense has been great during its first two games as Port Angeles has allowed just five runs in its opening two wins.
Natalie Robinson had a double and RBI, while Lexie Smith was 2-for-4 with two singles and two RBIs. Lindsay Smith also hit a double.
Port Angeles (0-0, 2-0) has a very busy week coming up with five games in six days, four of which are on the road in Renton and Bellevue as the Roughriders begin the season playing six out their first seven games on the road.
The Riders begin by playing at Liberty on Monday, then host their Olympic League opener at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday against Bremerton at Dry Creek Elementary.
