Camas softball team rallies to fourth place at state tournament

The Camas softball team left it all on the diamond Saturday, in Spokane.

“I think we really battled out there,” said junior outfielder Kyli Obermiller. “It didn’t come out the way we wanted to, but I say that we really tried our best. There’s nothing more I can ask from this team than what they gave us.”

After losing to Woodinville in the quarterfinals, the Papermakers won three straight games to advance to the consolation finals of the 4A state tournament and play for fourth place.

A 6-run sixth inning propelled the Papermakers to a 9-1 victory against Auburn Mountainview Friday.

Camas came back Saturday, and rallied to defeat Rogers 5-4. Alyssa Tomasini delivered a 2-run double in the sixth inning to tie the score, and then Abby Wong knocked in the go-ahead run.

Camas carried the momentum into the next game, and beat Inglemoor 8-2.

Monroe outlasted the Papermakers 8-5 in the consolation finals. Camas (25-4) finished in fourth place at state for the second time in three years.

“This year, we were all in it to win it,” said senior third baseman Callie Johnson. “I felt comfortable when anybody came up to bat. It’s fun to be on a team like that. We all believed in each other.”

Kennedy Ferguson threw 255 pitches on Friday. She pitched in two more games Saturday.

“I’m going to throw my heart out,” she told herself. “Hey, last game. Might as well keep going until I can’t anymore, I guess.”

Allie Hancock tossed five shut out innings against Auburn Mountainview.

“I miss throwing all the time. That’s what I do in summer ball, and I love it,” Hancock said. “Getting back out there was just awesome.”

Johnson hit a home run in the first game of the tournament to help Camas beat Richland 9-7.

“It was a nice feeling off the bat,” Johnson said. “I was very happy.”

Hancock and Obermiller both drove in two runs.

Tomasini went 8-for-25 at the plate in the state tournament to break the school record with 51 hits on the season.

“There’s no ‘I’ in team,” she said. “Everyone on the fence cheering, that’s motivation for me. You know that everyone has your back and is ready to go. It felt great to be an instrumental part to that.”

Katie Hancock took a ground ball to the face and broke her nose in the first game. After getting some stitches at the hospital, she was back on the field in the next game.

“She’s such a trooper,” Ferguson said.

By Saturday, Hancock was swinging the bat again and getting big hits.

“She didn’t want to not hit,” Obermiller said. “She wanted to go out there and hit and do everything.”