A balk call forced in the winning run on Wednesday as Kelso beat visiting Columbia River 5-4 in a Class 3A Greater St. Helens League baseball playoff game.
The result means the Chieftains are the league’s No. 3 seed into the district tournament. They will play a loser-out game at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Auburn Mountain View High School. Their opponent is yet to be determined.
A pair of Columbia River errors set up the winning run, which Kelso scored on a bases-loaded balk with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. On the pitch the balk was called, the Hilander hitter struck out for what would have been the first out of the inning.
It was the second time in the game the Hillanders scored on a balk call.
Columbia River (15-7) tied the score at 4-4 with three runs on three hits in the top of the fifth inning. Oscar Golberg and Clark Bryant had run-scoring doubles in that inning.
Golberg, who took the pitching loss, went 3 for 4 at the plate with two RBI. Columbia River outhit Kelso 8-4, but couldn’t overcome three errors and the balks. The Chieftains scored once in the top of the first when they threatened to have a big inning. They also loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh but didn’t score.
• Heritage beat Union 4-3 to earn a berth in the Class 4A district championship game today against Skyview. Union heads to bi-district as the 4A GSHL’s No. 3 seed. Union earn that berth with a win over Battle Ground in the first game Wednesday at Propstra Stadium. Heritage faces Skyview at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Stars of the day
• SOFTBALL: Katie Schroeder struck out 14 batters and threw a perfect game in a 9-0 win over Union.
• SOFTBALL: Brittany Langdon went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBI in Battle Ground’s 8-3 win over Heritage.
• SOFTBALL: Colleen Driscoll threw one-hit shutout and drove in a run in an 8-0 win for Mountain View over Kelso.
• GOLF: Alicia Kwon shot a 41 to lead Union to a 180-219 win over Battle Ground and clinch at least a share of the 4A Greater St. Helens League title for the Titans. Union can win the title outright with a win over Skyview on Thursday.
• SOFTBALL: Jamie Phares, Prairie, went 3 for 4 and knocked in four runs to help the Falcons beat Hudson’s Bay.
• BASEBALL: Joe Siegel went 5 for 6 with two home runs, two doubles and 10 RBI in Ridgefield’s doubleheader sweep of Washougal.
