Battle Ground claims first state softball berth

KENT — There will be a new entry into the Battle Ground High School athletics record book.

The Battle Ground Tigers are going to the Class 4A state softball tournament for the first time in program history after surviving one elimination game Sunday morning, then clinching a berth with a victory in the afternoon at a bi-district tournament in Kent.

“It’s huge. It’s really amazing,” said sophomore pitcher Parker Boyd, who struck out 14 batters in the two games. “It’s so nice to know we’re going. We got it done.”

The Tigers were one of five 4A and 3A Clark County teams that played bi-district games Sunday. The first day of the two-day tournaments was pushed to Saturday after Friday’s schedule was rained out.

Camas, having already clinched a trip to Spokane with two victories on Saturday, ended up going 1-1 Sunday, taking third in the 4A bi-district.

Meanwhile, in Tacoma, Mountain View ended up second in the 3A bi-district tournament, with Columbia River taking third and Prairie finishing fourth.

All five teams will compete at state. The 3A state tournament is in Lacey.

Battle Ground was the story Sunday — the other four teams qualified on Saturday.

The Tigers needed to survive first, then try to advance.

Battle Ground scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to erase a deficit and held off Gig Harbor 2-1 in the morning elimination round. Kendra Locke hit a two-out RBI single to tie the game, then the Tigers took the lead on an error.

Boyd struck out eight, including the final batter with the tying run in scoring position.

Battle Ground is 3-0 this season in elimination games.

That set up a two-games-to-win-one situation for the Tigers. A win against Emerald Ridge would clinch a trip to state, or a loss would send them into one more game, a final shot.

Battle Ground did not wait for the elimination game this time, beating the Jaguars 6-3. Kylie Smith, Madison Barr, Brittany Langdon, Courtney Railing, and Mickenzie Sachen each drove in a run.

Boyd struck out six, getting a called third strike to end the game, setting off a celebration that Battle Ground softball had never been a part of before this season.

Camas lost in the championship semifinals, falling to Puyallup 3-2. The Papermakers, though, bounced back with a 7-5 win over Todd Beamer to take third place.

The 4A state tournament is Friday and Saturday in Spokane. Camas finished second in the state last season.

The 3A Greater St. Helens League sent three teams to the bi-district tournament in Tacoma, and all three reached the semifinals. Mountain View, Columbia River, and Prairie have beaten each other all season, and now they get another week to possibly see each other again.

Mountain View beat Columbia River 3-0 in the 3A bi-district semifinals Sunday, but Enumclaw got the best of the Thunder in the championship game, 10-3.

“I’m not disappointed,” Mountain View coach Bob Van Horn said. “We just ran out of gas.”

The main goal was accomplished.

“We’re going to state,” he said.

Prairie fell to Enumclaw 4-1 in the other semifinal, sending the Falcons into the third-place game against Columbia River.

There, the Chieftains scored early and often, taking an 7-1 decision.

Mindy Williams Cleeland, River’s coach, said she is proud of this group for bringing the program back to state. She said she took the coaching job last year with the goal of returning River softball to excellence.

“We had a strong tradition of great female athletes,” said Cleeland, a member of River’s 1992 state championship team.

Prairie went 0-2 on Sunday but got the win it needed on Saturday to get to state.

“It is really cool to see our district be really successful,” Prairie coach Ari Van Horn said.

She just might face her dad’s team — Mountain View — at state.

“I do really hope they do well,” Ari Van Horn said. “I just hope we do better.”

4A BI-DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

Sunday at Kent Service Fields

Semifinals

Bethel 6, Todd Beamer 3

Puyallup 3, Camas 2

Championship

Puyallup 3, Bethel 2

Third-place game

Camas 7, Todd Beamer 5

Consolation

Battle Ground 2, Gig Harbor 1 (loser out)

Battle Ground 6, Emerald Ridge 3 (winner No. 5 to state)

BATTLE GROUND 6, EMERALD RIDGE 3

B. Ground 011 012 1–6 10 2

E. Ridge 000 201 0–3 6 3

Battle Ground

Pitcher — Parker Boyd 7 IP, win, 6 Ks. Highlights — Kylie Smith 2-4, RBI; Madison Barr 2-4, RBI; Krystina Fischer 1-4, 2B; Mickenzie Sachen 2-3, RBI; Kendra Locke 1-3; Courtney Railing 1-3, RBI; Brittany Langdon 1-4, RBI.

BATTLE GROUND 2, GIG HARBOR 1

G. Harbor 000 100 0–1 5 2

B. Ground 000 020 x–2 3 1

Battle Ground

Pitcher — Parker Boyd 7 IP, win, 8 Ks. Highlights — Boyd 1-2; Brittany Langdon 1-3; Kendra Locke 1-3, RBI.

PUYALLUP 3, CAMAS 2

Camas 000 020 0–2 6 2

Puyallup 011 100 x–3 3 3

Camas

Pitching — Harli Hubbard, loss; Highlights — Tori O’Neal 3B 2RBI.

CAMAS 7, TODD BEAMER 5

(Score by innings not available)

Camas 7 13 1

Todd Beamer 5 9 0

Camas

Pitching — Katie Schroeder, win; Highlights — Tori O’Neal 3B 2RBI.

3A BI-DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

Sunday at Sprinker Fields, Tacoma

Semifinals

Mountain View 3, Columbia River 0

Enumclaw 4, Prairie 1

Championship

Enumclaw 10, Mountain View 3

Third-place game

Columbia River 7, Prairie 1

ENUMCLAW 4, PRAIRIE 1

Prairie 000 100 0–1 1 4

Enumclaw 001 012 x–4 6 1

Prairie

Pitching — Maddie Williams 6 1/3 IP, loss; Tristan St. Peter 2/3 IP; Highlights — Irene McGuire 1-2.

COLUMBIA RIVER 7, PRAIRIE 1

Col.River 220 000 3–7 12 1

Prairie 000 000 1–1 5 4

Columbia River

Pitching — Costanza 7 IP, win, 4 Ks; Highlights — Sievers 2-4 HR; Cowles 4-4 2B HR; Costanza 2-4; Parkin 2-2; Schofield 2-4 2-2B.

Prairie

Pitching — St. Peter 1 2/3 IP, loss; Irene McGuire 4 1/3 IP; Williams 1 IP; Highlights — Holly Kersanty 2-3; Bridget Guiney 1-3; Jordan Shaw 1-3; Kayla Bergerson 1-3.

MOUNTAIN VIEW 3, COLUMBIA RIVER 0

MtnView 000 300 0–3 4 0

ColRiver 000 000 0–0 1 1

Mountain View

Pitching — Colleen Driscoll 7 IP, win, 6 Ks. Highlights — Kimi Reed 2-4; Jessica Alcomendas 1-2; Driscoll RBI; Tiffany Becker 1-3 2RBI.

Columbia River

Pitching — Costanza 7 IP, loss, 6 Ks; Highlights — Parkin 1-3 2B.

ENUMCLAW 10, MOUNTAIN VIEW 3

Enumclaw 510 112 0–10 12 1

MtnView 001 001 1– 3 7 3

Mountain View

Pitching — Driscoll 2 IP, loss; Becker 5 IP; Highlights — Reed 1-3 RBI; Alcomendas 1-3 RBI; Driscoll 2-3 RBI; Lauren Warner 1-3; Becker 1-3; Clara Hatfield 1-3.