Not all players get to experience the postseason in four years. Beamer’s starting pitcher Cameron Naden knows just that.

Despite coming down with a severe illness just four days before his scheduled North Puget Sound League playoff start against the Tahoma Bears, Naden was adamant in playing Tuesday. Naden answered with seven and one-third innings of lights-out baseball, but Tahoma secured the 1-0 win on a game-winning RBI single by Cameron Green in the 14th inning at Auburn High School.

The Titans now have to fight for their postseason lives in a loser-out game against Camas on Saturday at Auburn High School.

Despite the tough loss, Titans coach Shane Elliott was pleased with how his team played while handling the sloppy weather conditions.

“I told them I’m proud of them, told them I love them,” Elliott said. “The season’s not over yet. We’re still in this, and we have another playoff game on Saturday. They’ve got to keep their heads up. It’s OK to be upset with a loss. They get to walk away from this one knowing we lost the game, but we did not get beat.”

According to Elliot, Naden is a tough dude.

Naden contracted a virus last Friday that forced him to be bedridden for three straight days. During that time, Naden lost eight pounds.

Prior to Tuesday, Elliott hadn’t heard from his ace, and he and the coaching staff prepared for the possibility of throwing a different starter against the Bears.

Elliott received a text message from Naden Tuesday morning, however, that simply read “I’m good.”

“He’s just tough, and he proves it time and time again,” Elliott said. “For him to do that, be sick and come out, is bigger than the game itself.”

Naden did more than come out, however. He brought his best stuff.

Naden promptly no-hit Tahoma through four innings. His first test came in the third inning, though, when the Bears had runners on the corners with just one out.

He responded by striking out Conner Hargesheimer, and he got Adam Paganelli to fly out to second. Naden faced another test in the sixth inning when he walked the first two hitters.

Naden struck out Hargesheimer for a second time and then got Paganelli to ground into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.

Elliott removed Naden in the eighth inning after the No. 1 starter reached his designated pitch-count limit of 105. Despite the illness, Naden allowed no runs on three hits, two walks, a hit batter and five strikeouts.

“After not even knowing if he was going to be able to make the trip, going the pitch count limit of 105?” Elliott said. “Just a gritty, gritty performance from him. I didn’t know he was going to play, but I knew he was going to say ‘I’m good.’ That’s why he’s our guy.”

Ayden Adams came on in relief and pitched the remainder of the game.

In the 14th, Auburn’s Grayson Kibby led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Kibby scored the winning run on a slow roller from Green that was able to sneak through the Titans’ diving shortstop and third baseman.

For Beamer, Elliott said the key to getting back on track for Saturday’s do-or-die game with Union is the belief in one another and realizing their season is far from over.

And with workhorse Naden in the Titans’ dugout, Elliot likes his team’s chances.

“It’s about staying positive and doing what we do, doing what got us here,” Elliott said. “This season is not over, and with our lineup, and with Cameron, our horse out there, I’m going with us.”