BATTLE GROUND — The persistent chattering from the Skyview baseball dugout had a consistent message Thursday: Compete with a grinder’s mentality.
“That means taking every pitch one at a time,” senior Noah Guyette said. “We’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves. We’re just thinking about making a grind of every at-bat.”
Most emblematic of that sentiment, as he often is, was Ryan Pitts. The senior didn’t have his best stuff on the hill against Battle Ground, but he gritted out five innings, allowing just five hits and one earned run in the Storm’s 12-2 4A Greater St. Helens League win over the Tigers. He struck out six.
“He is the type of person that demonstrates that kind of mentality every day,” Skyview coach Seth Johnson said. “You could tell from the very first inning that he was kind of fighting himself. … But that’s what kids like him with his mentality can do when they don’t have their best stuff.”
Pitts got some help from his defense, too. As has been the case all season for the Storm (12-2, 6-1 4A GSHL), who haven’t allowed more than five runs to a Washington state school this season, the team excelled at making the routine plays.
Throw in a few spectacular ones, like Derek Lewis’ and Titus Oien’s smooth double play in the bottom of the third, and you have yourself a win.
That play, which had Lewis field a hard-hit grounder, step on second base and throw over to Oien, who scooped it out of the dirt, paved the way for the Storm’s fourth-inning breakout.
Skyview scored five runs in the following frame, including RBI singles from Micah Baylous and Michael Stromberg and a pair of bases-loaded walks.
“That double play was huge. It kind of springboarded us,” Johnson said. “The defense really gave us the energy and the momentum to feel good going into the top of the fourth.”
Until that point, Battle Ground senior Avery Fettig was dealing. He had three strikeouts in the opening three frames and held a deep Storm lineup at bay.
Two errors by the Tiger defense to start the inning put him in a hole he couldn’t climb out. Fettig was pulled before the inning finished, ending his day with 3.2 innings and three hits allowed.
“He’s made himself his own man in the offseason; he’s worked extremely hard,” Battle Ground coach Jeremy Hertner said. “It’s paid off for him on the mound. If we give him a little help, he was rolling pretty good.”
Skyview continued to take advantage of Battle Ground miscues the rest of the way. The Tigers (6-7, 3-4) finished with six errors and allowed nine walks.
The Storm took advantage with seven hits. Guyette had a two-RBI double to really open the floodgates in the fifth inning. He finished 2 for 4 with four RBI.
“I just stay relaxed up there and keep my mind fresh,” said Guyette, an Air Force Academy signee. “I just look for one pitch, honestly, when they’re struggling.”
Battle Ground totaled five hits, including an RBI bloop single in the fourth inning from Anakin Velasqez, who stole third and scored on a wild pitch later in the game.
Skyview and Battle Ground meet again on Monday, a 7 p.m. game under the lights at Propstra Stadium.
