If your last name is McGowan and you play baseball for the Battle Ground Tigers, Thursday, April 9, was one unforgettable day during spring break high school baseball.
The power brother duo of junior Cooper and sophomore Collin proved dominant on the pitcher’s mound and in the batter's box. The McGowan brothers — a pair of top-10 ranked recruits in the state of Washington in their respective classes — combined for three home runs and six RBI’s, with also five innings pitched allowing just one run as Battle Ground defeated the Thunder 10-2.
Cooper McGowan started off the day with a no-doubt home run to left field as the leadoff man for the Tigers. He then doubled down to send a second home run over the center field fence in the third inning.
“I felt like I was seeing a beach ball up there,” Cooper McGowan said. “I felt really good at the plate. And it’s just nice to be playing out in this weather with a good sunny day. It was a confidence booster.”
The younger of the brothers, Collin McGowan, began the day on the mound, locking down three innings, giving up three hits and one run, while striking out four and walking zero.
“I felt good, I was just trying to work on my secondaries,” Collin McGowan said, adding that the pitching appearance was a timely experience builder before a scheduled pitching start in this week’s 4A Greater St. Helens League battle against the Camas Papermakers.
Collin McGowan found himself in hitter’s paradise in the sixth inning with a 3-1 count and got the pitch he wanted as he launched a light-tower-power grand slam to join the fun of rounding the bases with his brother. The four-run home run extended the Tigers' lead to 9-1.
“I’m really confident at the plate right now,” Collin McGowan said. “I like our chances in the league. Every team’s going to be competitive, but I like our chances.”
The Mountain View Thunder had previously worked up six close wins, including wins against 4A GSHL Skyview and Union high schools. Battle Ground head coach Seth Johnson was pleased with his time keeping the foot on the gas to not allow the Thunder to stick around close on the scoreboard.
The Tigers’ finish the non-league stretch 8-1, including a recent 1-0 win against the MaxPreps No. 4-ranked team in all of Oregon: the Clackamas Cavaliers. And if one desires to pay attention to rankings in high school baseball, the Battle Ground Tigers are a consensus top team in the state, if not jelling into the top team. MaxPreps has the Tigers ranked No. 1 in 4A and No. 2 overall behind the undefeated 1A giant in Montesano. The WIAA RPI rankings also place the Tigers No. 1 for Class 4A baseball. Sports Illustrated’s Washington high school baseball rankings also join in with the Tigers at the top of their 4A rankings.
But once league play gets going in the 4A GSHL, like year after year, it is anybody’s league. This time around, the Tigers pack experience beyond the McGowan brothers, senior and University of Washington commit James Gill III bats cleanup, plays a strong first base, and is a dominant left-handed pitcher. The emergence of Derek Gunderson also plays a crucial role for the Tigers as he bats second to extend the batting lineup.
“I feel like we really showed that we do have the depth and the players to make it deep into the season,” Cooper McGowan said. “I don’t think people thought of us very highly, preseason. I think we’re proving them wrong here so far during the season, so I’m excited about this team.”
The Tigers' win on April 9 also showed significant growth, both mentally and in skill, as they completed seven innings without errors. The bottom of the lineup was also growing at the plate for the Tigers, which could lead to big things when the lineup card turns over.
“I feel like the bottom of our order is really starting to hit, too,” Collin McGowan said. “So that’s really helpful.”
The Tigers began their crucial league stretch with a series against Camas High School on Monday, April 13, and Tuesday, April 14, but results were unavailable at press time. The series concludes with the first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, at Camas High School.
