Softball: Brincefield, Skyview dominate Camas
The Camas Papermakers finished second in the Class 4A state tournament last year. They have just about everybody back this season. They started 2014 with 10 wins in a row.
The Skyview Storm made it to the Class 4A state tournament last year. They have a ton of talent back this season. They started 2014 with eight wins in their first 10 games.
See where this is going?
With all due respect to the rest of a very talented, tough Class 4A Greater St. Helens League, right now, these are the two teams to beat.
So when they face each other, it’s a big deal.
Skyview pitcher Michelle Brincefield got the best of Camas on Tuesday, the first of two regular-season battles between the two programs. Brincefield, a senior now who pitched in the state’s final four as a freshman, threw a one-hitter, striking out eight Papermakers in an 8-0 victory.
Just like that, Skyview is 3-0 in league. Just like that, Camas suffered its first loss of the season.
Emily Dobbin went 3 for 4 and drove in a run. Emily Garcia, Katie Bittner, and Erica Cook also drove in runs for the Storm. Skyview scored three in the first, three in the second, and was on its way to a rout.
Brincefield only needed that one run. She gave up a triple to Camas’ Lena Richards in the first inning, and that was that.
“It is a great win for us against such a great team,” Skyview coach Kim Anthony said late Tuesday. “Camas has all the tools. Today, things just went our way, and I’m proud of our girls.”
Anthony called it a “great beginning” but there are a lot of important games to follow.
Already, the 4A GSHL has seen several close games, some interesting scores. Evergreen stayed tough with Camas on Monday, falling 1-0. Then Evergreen beat Battle Ground 7-5 on Tuesday. Heritage is 0-3 in league but just missed beating Skyview on Monday, then lost a tough one to Union on Tuesday.
Anthony knows there are no gimmes.
“The fire and intensity I saw in my girls today needs to stay all the time,” the coach said.
Over at Camas, coach Ken Nidick said it is possible this loss will benefit his players in the long run. The Papermakers had won a lot of games and perhaps got caught looking beyond league. Many of the players are on record stating that the main goal is a state championship this year.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Nidick said of this defeat. “Big picture, we can’t be undefeated state champs. We can still be state champs. We had a loss. We learn from it. Be better, and be a better team tomorrow.”
A combination of a Camas hitting slump and up against a quality pitcher led to the one-hit showing Tuesday, Nidick said.
“It’s a bump in the road, as long as it doesn’t stay bumpy,” Nidick said.
The entire league is an obstacle course this season.
For now, the Skyview Storm have the first leg up on 2014.
