Camas Machine JBO Baseball Team Wins State Title

CORVALLIS, Ore. — The Camas Machine JBO Senior National baseball team won their division’s State Championship this past weekend, beating McKay 8-3 in a hard-fought tournament.

At state, the Machine needed to win five games to win the Championship. They won their first three games handily, and then the fourth game became a long, hard-fought 10-inning battle against McKay – a team from Salem.

“They gave us probably the best game we have seen all season,” said Camas Machine’s assistant coach, Keith Upkes. “Score was tied at 0-0 going into the seventh. In the seventh, we scored one, and McKay as the home team answered our run with a run of their own. Going into extra innings we were tied. In the eighth, we quickly scored two to go ahead 3-1, they again answered our score putting up two of their own sending the game to the ninth inning tied at three. In the ninth, they shut us down and then we answered back.

Camas Machine: The JBO Senior National Baseball State Champions.

Brannon Meriwether on the mound against McKay.

“Going into the tenth we were tied at three. As visitors we scored two going into the bottom of the tenth we were up 5-3. They quickly scored one making it 5-4, then we shut them down and prevailed with a final score of 5-4. We advanced to the championship round on Sunday.”

But it wasnt over with McKay. They moved into the loser’s bracket having only lost to the Machine. According to Upkes, they won their loser’s bracket game setting up a re-match for Sunday’s championship game.

Camas Machine came out ready to roll, but couldn’t get the bat’s going along with McKay’s good execution of a short game and they prevailed 10-3 in the Championship game.

But it still wasn’t over.

Being a double elimination tournament, the Camas Machine got a second chance. With a 60-minute break in 90 degree weather, the Machine fought their way back. Behind the pitching of Brannan Meriwether and Dillon Mickalson, along with a strong defensive stand, said Upkes, and with bats that started lighting up, the Camas Machine prevailed 8-3 over McKay to win the 2013 JBO Senior National State Championship.

“It was a great feeling,” said Mike Colvin, the team’s manager. “It bodes well for the future of the sport in Camas and in the community at large. Not only did these JBO teams do well, but all three Camas Little League teams won their district championships and went to State.”
Colvin said the boys wanted something that couldn’t be given to them.“They had to earn it,” said Colvin. “They had to work really hard. Every kid stepped up and made plays. They played their hearts out.”

Until the playoff, Joe Gaudio was the team’s manager, but he left for an extended time. Colvin took over as manager for the playoffs both District and State. Assistant coaches are Toby Mickalson and Upkes.

The Machine finished first in league play with a record of 13-1, and took first place Districts.

The Machine roster includes: