Columbia River baseball loses its appeal; 2A district playoff pairing set
Columbia River’s Nick Alder delivers a pitch during Monday’s game against Ridgefield (Tim Martinez/The Columbian)
The Columbia River baseball team lost its appeal, and that was significant for the Rapids in a couple of different ways.
On Monday, River played Ridgefield in the 2A Greater St. Helens League season finale for both teams. With Ridgefield up 5-4, River loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh.
Ridgefield then pulled the hidden-ball play, and the Rapids runner on third base was called out. However, before the runner stepped off the bag, Ridgefield’s pitcher returned to the mound without the ball. By rule, that should have resulted in a balk and a tied game.
Despite the protests of River coaches, who tried to point out the rule to the umpires, the call stood. Ridgefield got out of the inning for a 5-4 win, giving the Spudders the league title and the No. 1 seed to the district playoffs.
River filed an appeal with the league. On Wednesday, that appeal was denied.
The loss dropped River into a three-way tie for second place in the 2A GSHL wih Hockinson and Washougal, all at 6-2. When the tiebreaker was applied, River fell all the way to the No. 4 seed to district.
Columbia River will open the district playoffs Friday by hosting Mark Morris. If the Rapids win that game, it would set up a rematch with Ridgefield on Tuesday at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex.
DISTRICT 4 2A DISTRICT BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
Friday’s games
First round
Woodland at Washougal, 4 p.m.
Mark Morris at Columbia River, 4 p.m.
Tuesday’s games
Second round: Woodland-Washougal winner at Hockinson, 4 p.m.
Second round: Mark Morris-Columbia River at Ridgefield, 4 p.m.
Consolation game: first-round losers, 4 p.m.
Consolation game: R.A. Long vs. Hudson’s Bay, 2 p.m. at Propstra Stadium
Consolation game: R.A. Long vs. Fort Vancouver, 4 p.m. at Propstra Stadium
Consolation game: Fort Vancouver vs. Hudson’s Bay, 6 p.m. at Propstra Stadium
Friday, May 7
At Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex
Semifinal: GSHL lower remaining seed vs. EvCo No. 1, 3 p.m.
Semifinal: GSHL higher remaining seed vs. EvCo No. 2, 3 p.m.
Consolation game: Second-place losers, 4 p.m. (at higher seed)
Championship game, 6 p.m.
Third-place game, 6 p.m.
