On this night, Nick Jennings and Brody Barnum weren’t teammates.
They might’ve been all spring, and for the final time four days ago, helping the Skyview Storm to a third-place finish in the Class 4A state baseball tournament.
But not on this night, Wednesday’s 40th annual Southwest Washington Senior All-Star Baseball Series at Propstra Stadium, featuring a pair of eight-inning games with Clark County’s top Class 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A seniors. Jennings and Barnum were in opposite lineups.
So what did Jennings throw to his ex-teammate in two at-bats against each other?
“I already know what to throw him,” said Jennings, who threw three innings of relief. Off-speed, he said, and the result: two strikeouts.
Even Barnum flashed a smile toward Jennings on his way to the dugout the second go-around in what turned out to be a 7-2 American League victory.
“He didn’t throw me a single fastball in either at-bat,” the Washington State-bound Barnum said.
Barnum tips his cap on Jennings’ curveball.
“He knows how to give me out,” Barnum said of Jennings, a Lower Columbia College signee. “It’s pretty good. It’s all fun and games.”
Wednesday’s event was all fun and games. Between games was a 30-minute break where all players grabbed food and mingled for 30 minutes. It was a time to catch up with players they haven’t played with since little league or spoken with all season.
Or for some, play with guys one final time you’ve gotten to know better as your high school career has progressed, like Heritage’s Taryn Yarnell.
The Centralia College commit compared the rowdiness and relaxed atmosphere of Wednesday’s event to being on a playground.
Just guys being guys.
“It was so loud, you can’t almost hear yourself,” he said. “Since the playoffs are over, it’s nice to come out and play with guys who are leaving.
“But we’re all on a mission to win the game.”
Yarnell, on the American League squad, helped the AL to a sweep. It won the nightcap, 11-8, after the AL had a six-run seventh inning in Game 1. His two-RBI single that made it a 6-2 game, and later scored on an error.
In the second game, Skyview’s Johnny Carter got the win pitching the first three innings after the AL offense jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead after two innings.
The NL did most of its damage in the fourth and fifth innings; the second of two RBIs in the game by Ridgefield’s Kevin Miser cut the AL lead to 10-6.
Ten players from Wednesday’s games are nominated for next week’s All-State Series in Yakima, event director and Union coach Ben McGrew said.
Game MVPs went to Columbia River’s Dakota Mason (five strikeouts over two innings) and Skyview’s Tanner Jacques (three hits, three RBI).
