CAMAS — Twin Cities' opener was a bit tighter than the Centralia-Chehalis combo squad had hoped here Wednesday on the first day of pool play in the 13-year-old Southern Washington Babe Ruth Baseball Tournament.
Connor Tardiff knocked a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Twin Cities a 10-9 win over familiar foe Mount St. Helens.
Gabe O'Neil led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk, which was followed by a single from Colby Steele. Jerod Frias moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, and after a strikeout Tardiff knocked the game-winning hit into right field to score O'Neil.
Tardiff finished with two hits, while Steele had three hits.
Cooper Viggers started the game and struck out five, while O'Neil struck out four in two innings of work. Tyler Milton closed out the game in the ninth.
Trevor Minkoff had a 2-run single in the sixth inning for Mount St. Helens, while Cody Cooper and Sawyer Burdick each added hits, while Brady Collins, Camden Ryan, Jordan Purvis and Burdick all pitched against Twin Cities.
Mount St. Helens then played until nearly 10 p.m. with a late game against Camas/Washougal, with the tournament host team giving the rural Lewis County squad little with which to work in a 10-4 loss.
Twin Cities will take on Camas/Washougal at 4 p.m. today. Mount St. Helens will face Richland at 1 p.m. The tournament will conclude on Sunday.
