The Union baseball team clinched a trip the Class 4A state tournament after clinching the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League baseball title Friday afternoon.
Cody Hawken hit two home runs, including a walk-off as the Titans rolled past Battle Ground 11-0. (Yes, a walk-off. In an 11-0 victory. The game ended on his two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth due to the mercy rule.)
Jacob Allbee struck out seven in his six-inning shutout, and Jack Bauer put on a defensive display from his catching position to help Union improve to 13-2 in league play. The Titans are up four with three to play, securing the No. 1 seed to the district tournament.
In 4A GSHL baseball, the league champion is assured one of the two spots that will qualify for the state tournament.
“It blows my mind, honestly, knowing this is my senior year and finishing it off with a bang,” Allbee said.
“That’s sweet. It’s a good feeling,” Bauer said of qualifying for state. “That’s a big goal that we hit, but we got a lot more.”
Union coach Ben McGrew called it the most complete game of the season. After playing below their standards Monday and Tuesday, the Titans had two good practices this week. McGrew said that carried over to Friday’s game.
“It’s almost like a compliment, saying they have a lot of trust in me to put me on the mound,” Allbee said after the team’s two sub-par performances earlier in the week.
He delivered. He had an 11-pitch first inning.
“I felt I could do it the rest of the game,” he said.
Then he struck out the side after giving up a lead-off single in the second inning.
“That got me hyped big-time,” Allbee said.
Bauer took over in the third inning from behind the plate. After a lead-off single, Bauer got the first out on a fouled bunt attempt. The ball went over Bauer’s head, he twisted, found the ball, dove, and, fully extended, caught the ball inches from the ground.
“I surprised myself,” Bauer said.
Later, he ended the frame when he picked off a Battle Ground baserunner at second base.
“It never happens to catchers,” he said of getting two highlight-type outs in one inning. “It’s always a shortstop, like a Derek Jeter dive, or an outfielder. It was a really good feeling.”
Union got two runs in the first, another in the second and Hawken hit a solo shot in the third. The Titans would get seven hits and score five in the fifth. Devin Tracey hit a two-run double.
Hawken ended the game in the sixth with his second homer of the game — he now has a school-record seven homers this season — and the Titans piled on each other to celebrate the league title.
