Skyview taking district by storm

Survival Week turned into Storm Week.

The Skyview baseball team survived three elimination games in the Class 4A District 4 tournament this week, earning a berth to the state playoffs

Taylor Johnson hit a two-run home run to cap a three-run seventh inning Thursday, leading the Storm to a 4-2 victory over Battle Ground at Propstra Stadium.

Kordell Vasbinder threw a complete game and Leonard Barry had a game-tying double to help the Storm into the district championship game. Skyview will take on 4A Greater St. Helens League champion Union at 5 p.m. Friday at Propstra.

The winner will go to state as the top seed from District 4. The loser will be the No. 2 seed.

Skyview’s initial goal, though, has been accomplished. The Storm, the No. 5 seed, beat Mountain View 12-10 on Monday, topped No. 3 Camas 3-1 on Wednesday, then brought the never-say-die philosophy against No. 2 Battle Ground on Thursday.

“It’s the 2004 Boston Red Sox,” Vasbinder said, referring to the only MLB team to win a series trailing three games to none. “Why not us?”

Still, it appeared Skyview’s run was about to come to an end when Battle Ground tied the game in the fifth then took the lead in the bottom of the sixth.

“Nobody said it was going to be easy,” Johnson said.

“It was a confidence thing, I guess,” Barry added.

Brody Barnum led off the seventh with a single. Vasbinder sacrificed him over to second. Then Barry hit a double to tie the game at 2-2, going to third on an error.

“Be loose. Quick hands. Get a fastball, and drive Brody in,” Barry said.

Next up was Johnson, who took advantage of a high breaking ball.

“Shout out to my teammates for giving me the opportunity, for getting me that at-bat,” said Johnson, who was fourth hit that frame. “I was looking for that pitch. Happy to contribute.”

“He freakin’ hammered it,” Barry said.

Vasbinder struck out eight, including the final batter of the night.

“It’s kind of a dream come true,” Vasbinder said.

Not just this game, but the week. Vasbinder was the starting pitcher in Monday’s game but did not get out of the first inning.

“Having a bad outing, then having a young guy clean up after you,” he said, referring to freshman Daniel Copeland, who got the win in relief. “Then Mitchell (Smith) did a great job on Wednesday. Then they gave it to me again. I wanted it.”

Avery Schmidt got Skyview on the board in the second inning with a two-out, run-scoring single.

Battle Ground tied it in the sixth on a run-scoring single from Colin Rubino. The Tigers took the lead in the sixth on a strikeout that got away from the catcher, allowing the runner to race home from third.

That just set up one last clutch moment for the Storm.

“We had to do it,” Vasbinder said. “It was do or die.”