Ridgefield bracket started Thursday and four other brackets will be held at Heritage, Mountain View, and Union baseball fields starting Friday
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
Organizers call it Baseballism in Clark County — a true showcase for high school baseball.
Its first pitch was Thursday in Ridgefield, while three other facilities will join Ridgefield by hosting bracket play Friday and Saturday.
Baseballism’s “Kickoff Classic” has eight teams playing over three days in Ridgefield, plus there are 16 other teams set to play on three Evergreen Public Schools campuses on Friday and Saturday.
“Our mission is to fill a need and highlight baseball in our own backyard,” organizers posted on their website: https://www.clarkcountybaseball.net/.
“The Clark County Baseball Committee looks forward to showcasing programs and individuals across Clark County.”
And beyond, too.
This year’s lineup includes teams from throughout Washington. Of the 24 teams in the various brackets, 13 made it to their state playoffs last year.
In Ridgefield, there are eight teams: Host Ridgefield and defending state champion Columbia River are representing Clark County. That is a three-day event at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex, with the championship set for 1 p.m. Saturday.
Mick Hoffman, the executive director for the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, threw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday.
Organizers also named the brackets after former Major Leaguers who hail from Southwest Washington. The Ridgefield tournament is called the Richie Sexson bracket.
There are four other tournaments in east Vancouver:
The Ian Hamilton Bracket is at Union High School. Host Union is set to play at 7 p.m. Friday.
Mountain View High School will host two brackets. The Alan Embree Bracket features host Mountain View and also has La Center from Clark County.
The Robert Ramsay Bracket, also at Mountain View, will highlight Battle Ground as the local squad.
By the way, Battle Ground will take on Mount Vernon at 4 p.m. Friday (March 21) with batting practice expected at 2:30 p.m. Why is that such a big deal? Dozens of scouts are expected to attend batting practice. Mount Vernon features reigning Gatorade State Player of the Year Xavier Neyens, an Oregon State signee who is expected to be selected in the Major League Baseball draft. Battle Ground features its own standout, too, in James Gill III, a University of Washington commit.
Heritage High School will host the Randy Myers Bracket, featuring Clark County teams Heritage and Hudson’s Bay.
“Hosting a baseball tournament in the Pacific Northwest, in the spring, is only possible with first-class turf facilities,” organizers said on their website. “Due to our tremendous community support, Southwest Washington has some of the nicest baseball facilities in the state.”
For a full list of teams, including a season outlook for each team, and a full schedule of games, go to: https://www.clarkcountybaseball.net/
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