HRV CATCHER Adam Cameron makes a catch during Wednesday afternoon’s game against the 6A Central Catholic Rams. Cameron made a number of key plays including a putout at home that prevented a Rams runner from scoring. The game was a defensive one, with the two teams combining for seven hits and three runs.
HRV CATCHER Adam Cameron makes a catch during Wednesday afternoon’s game against the 6A Central Catholic Rams. Cameron made a number of key plays including a putout at home that prevented a Rams runner from scoring. The game was a defensive one, with the two teams combining for seven hits and three runs.
HRV’s game Wednesday against the Central Catholic Rams wasn’t on the schedule to start the season, with Eagles’ coach Erich Harjo adding the contest a few weeks ago with the intention of preparing his athletes for the playoffs by giving them extra practice against a highly competitive opponent.
The Rams, ranked third in Class 6A, certainly made things interesting for HRV, holding the No. 7 5A Eagles to just two hits and two runs in what was one of the least productive games offensively at Traner Field for the team this season. But despite the lack of production, and despite Central Catholic putting up five hits, HRV was able to hang on and defeat the Rams, 2-1.
It was the second game in a row where HRV held its opponent scoreless for the majority of the game, and then saw its opponent battle back in the final innings. HRV faced a similar situation against The Dalles last week, which saw HRV escape with a 5-3 win after going up 5-0 by the end of the fifth inning. Harjo said after that game that “we practice situational baseball a lot every week” and noted that “just staying calm and being able to trust our ability during tense situations” allowed the team to defeat The Dalles.
On Wednesday in Hood River, neither team could get much of anything going in the first part of the game. After two innings, the two teams had combined for three hits and no runs, with the sole hit for HRV coming from Ryan Ward, who hit a line drive to left field that was good for a single.
Things got a bit more interesting in the top of the third, when, with runners on second and third, Central Catholic second baseman Ishmail Shabazz hit one to center field, which was grabbed by Dallas Buckley and thrown to HRV catcher Adam Cameron, who was able to tag out Rams first baseman Sam Muskat and prevent from scoring the go-ahead run.
HRV got on the board next inning, when, after both Buckley and Kam Walker were hit by pitches and advanced, Ward hit a line drive to left field, allowing Buckley to score. It was HRV’s last single and hit of the evening.
The Eagles took advantage of sloppy pitching in the bottom of the fourth, when Harvey, who has been hit by nine pitches this season (more than anyone else on HRV’s roster), was beaned by Central Catholic’s pitcher, Cole Stringer. A balk by Stringer sent Harvey to second and an error allowed Cameron to advance to first and Harvey advance to third, who then scored on a wild pitch to put HRV up 2-0.
Central Catholic didn’t respond until the top of the sixth, when Stringer scored as HRV third baseman Kellan Duffy fielded a ground ball and threw it to Montana Kurahara to what would’ve been the final out of the inning. However, in a call that both those in the HRV stands and dugout protested, the runner was declared safe and Central Catholic narrowed it to 2-1.
HRV didn’t respond in the bottom of the sixth and the Rams put HRV in an extremely uncomfortable position, grabbing a quick three hits to load the bases with no outs. However, thanks to some good fielding by HRV — including a put out at home by Cameron — as well as the pitching of relief Ward, the Eagles held onto the win.
On the mound, Walker started for HRV, throwing out two batters in four innings, walking two, and giving up two hits. Ward gave up three hits, one run (none earned), and struck out five.
“What I’ve noticed about (Ward) and our other starting pitchers is that they have confidence in throwing all of their pitches,” Harjo said after the game against The Dalles last week. “We aren’t afraid to attack a hitter and challenge him to make contact. Defensively, we can play very well so I think that gives our pitching staff the confidence to try and force contact in three pitches or less.”
A playoff opponent for HRV still hadn’t been decided as of press time due to Friday play-in games, but what is known is HRV will host a playoff game Wednesday at either 4:30 or 5 p.m. according to HRVHS Athletic Director Keith Bassham.
Baseball team cleans up in all-league nominations
Columbia River Conference all-league nominations were recently announced, with a good portion of the
HRV varsity roster making the cut. Most notable were the accolades for senior Ryan Ward, who was named both Player of the Year and Pitcher of the year for the CRC. Through 23 games and for players who have played five games or more, Ward leads the team in hits (30), RBI (21), batting average (.462), slugging percentage (.585), and is second in on-base percentage (.513, behind senior Kam Walker’s average of .526) and stolen bases (five, behind junior Skyler Hunter’s impressive 17 bases). Through 50 pitched innings, Ward has thrown 82 strikes, walked 13, given up 32 hits and 16 runs, culminating in an impressive .980 earned run average.
Erich Harjo, who coached the team to an 18-8 overall record, a 9-3 league record, and the team’s first district title win in over two decades, was named CRC Coach of the Year.
Ward also made first team all-league for pitcher, along with Walker. Sophomore Adam Cameron also made the squad for the catcher position. Hunter, Walker and junior Patrick Harvey were all named to the first team’s infield, with Ward and senior Riley Van Hoose named to the outfield. Rounding out the first team selections was junior Chase Lariza, who made it under the designated hitter position.
For second team, Kellan Duffy made the cut and was named to the infield group, while junior Dallas Buckley went to the outfield.
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