Camas baseball grinds out 10-9 win over Battle Ground to open 4A GSHL slateUpdated 2 days ago

BATTLE GROUND — With just nine games over three series to decide a 4A Greater St. Helens League baseball champion, every game between the likes of Camas, Battle Ground, Skyview and Union is extra valuable.

Camas’ 10-9 win over Battle Ground in each team’s 4A GSHL opener on Monday certainly had that feel.

“It’s really important to get the first (one),” Camas head coach Stephen Short said. “However you do it, it doesn’t matter — 10-9, 1-0 — we don’t really care.”

The Papermakers had contributions throughout their lineup at the plate and a solid six-inning performance on the mound from starter Sawyer Clifton to build a six-run lead through six innings.

But the Tigers didn’t go away in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases and rattled off five runs, highlighted by RBI hits from Cooper McGowan, James Gill and Jacob Long.

But Camas freshman reliever Lincoln Fogle stood tall under pressure, striking out Battle Ground’s final two batters and delivering the Papermakers their first win toward defending their 4A GSHL title.

“I think we have a lot of confidence in this team, we have a lot of confidence in each other and we trust each other,” Camas senior Matthew Manjooran said. “We’ve been in tough situations like that before, so we kind of knew we were going to come out with the ‘W.'”

At the San Diego Lions Baseball Tournament two weeks ago, Camas was on the other side of the comeback, scoring seven runs in the seventh to down Rancho Buena Vista 9-8.

The result served as a reminder that a game is never out of reach. It also speaks to the Papermakers’ growing confidence at the plate.

They put constant pressure on the Tigers’ defense Monday by amassing 12 hits, including one RBI double apiece from Manjooran, Cade Lukens, Bryce Stevens and Charlie Barr. Anthony Forner added two hits and two RBI, including a base hit during a four-run sixth inning that gave Camas a 10-4 lead.

So where does the Papermakers’ confidence come from?

“We’re a really tight-knit team,” Lukens said. “You can hang out with anyone on the team and have a great time, so I feel like it’s just the trust we have in one another and the confidence we have in the guy next to you.”

That team-wide trust served Camas well through multiple challenges. In the first inning, starting catcher Hayden Ollmann appeared to roll his ankle while running out a ground ball and was replaced by Stevens, a sophomore, who stepped in with two RBI and a double.

Clifton gutted through six innings on the mound with a large blister on his toe.

All of which led to a grind-it-out seventh inning for the Papermakers.

“You remember the good, forget about the bad and get ready to go play tomorrow,” Short said.

While the three-game series shifts to Camas on Tuesday before returning to Battle Ground on Thursday, the Papermakers’ close win Monday may well foreshadow another tightly-contested league title race much like last year, which came down to the ninth and final game.

Battle Ground has the top pitcher in Gill, the reigning 4A GSHL and All-Region player of the year who will start later in the series. Union and Skyview have plenty of talent up and down their rosters as well.

The key for Camas is sticking to its tried-and-true formula.

“I’d say just putting on early pressure offensively, limiting walks and really just making plays when we need to,” Lukens said.

CAMAS 10, BATTLE GROUND 9

Camas              003       124       0—10     12     3

B.G.             000       103       5—9     9     6

Camas

Pitching — Sawyer Clifton 6 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 1 K, 3 BB; Lincoln Fogle 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 0 BB; Highlights — Cade Lukens 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B; Anthony Forner 2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI; Matt Manjooran 2-4, R, RBI, 2B; Bryce Stevens 1-2, 2 RBI, 2B; Charlie Barr 2-4, RBI, 2B; Scott Johnson 1-3, R; Jared Forner 1-3; Cai Davis 1-2, R.

Battle Ground

Pitching — Noah Newton 4.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 0 K, 0 BB; Axel Massie 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 K, 1 BB; Jacob Bryant 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 1 BB; Highlights — Cooper McGowan 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B; James Gill 1-4, RBI; Jacob Long 2-4, RBI, 2B; Ethan Nelson 1-3; Jacob Bryant 1-3, R; Peyton Sanders 2-3, 2 R.