The Tigers softball team is rolling into a commanding slate of league games in good shape following a dominant first half of the season.
All four teams in the 4A Greater St. Helens League (GSHL) are entering league play with positive records. Battle Ground entered this week 8-1 after a 13-2 win over Evergreen High School on Thursday, April 11. The Tigers played the Union Titans for their first league matchup on Monday, April 15, but results weren’t available as of press time.
“We’ll have our hands full, and it’s a great league. That’s why the league does so great around the state all year,” Tigers head coach Jeremy Barr said.
This season, Barr believes his team is faster than in years past while still having pop with their bats.
“We have more team speed overall, and we’re also much younger than we typically have been in the past,” Barr said. “So, we’re learning and growing, and we’re doing a lot of great things. Fortunately, we’re getting unbelievable, great senior leadership to help bring those young kids along.”
The home runs are “coming in bunches,” he added. The Tigers are unlikely to beat their record coming out of the pandemic when they mashed 54 homers in just 16 games. This season, the Tigers have posted an eight home run-game and a six home run matchup in their tallies, with more opportunities.
Senior Zoey Hughes and company have played well in the circle after Tigers star Rylee Rehbein, who now pitches for the University of Montana, graduated in 2023. In the Tigers’ 13-2 win over Evergreen High School on April 11, Hughes threw for 10 strikeouts in six innings.
Junior Candice Torgerson is also a team leader behind the dish and is a key player in Battle Ground’s pitching success.
“We knew as a freshman she was going to do great things here, and Candice has absolutely worked her tail off,” Barr said. “She is a completely different kid, amazing, great leader, found her voice, great contact, and she is letting that ball rip when she’s throwing it.”
Torgerson threw out an Evergreen runner trying to steal second base to end the fifth inning in the Tigers’ victory over Evergreen High School.
The Tigers are slated to host the Camas Papermakers at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, and travel to Skyview High School for a 4:30 p.m. matchup on Friday, April 19.
