The 8-7 victory sends the Knappa Loggers back to the state semi-finals. (File photo)

     Through three innings things looked bleak for Knappa baseball. But as head coach Jeff Miller said after the game, they just needed something positive to happen.

     After a marathon third inning where visiting team Myrtle Point scored four runs, the Loggers trailed 6-0. Nothing seemed to be working – until left fielder Ethan Olson stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning.

    With one out in the inning, Olson ripped a ball into the left field gap to make it a triple. It was the spark Knappa needed as the next six hitters made it to base: a Lukas Masters walk, a double by Oliver Stevens, a Blake Miller single, a Tug Bryan walk, a bunt single by Jude Miller and a single by Braxton Hill, and the score was 6-4.

    Loggers pitcher Stevens went 6.1 innings and 103 pitches – and Knappa tied the game up at 6-6. Myrtle Point came back in the sixth with a run and after scoring on a wild pitch, the Bobcats had a one-run lead into the seventh inning.

     For Logger fans here’s where the fun began.

    The inning started with a routine ground ball that was fumbled by pitcher Sawyer Jackson. This allowed the leadoff runner to reach base. Then Blake Miller laid down one of the best bunts fans would ever see – it first looked to be going foul, but somehow stayed in play for a base hit. The Loggers had runners on first and third and Myrtle Point decided to walk Bryan to load the bases. Then, a two-strike bunt single by Jude Miller allowed Stevens to score and make the game 7-7. After a strikeout, Gavin Barendse hit a bunt that dribbled past the pitching mound to score the winning run.

    The 8-7 victory sent Knappa back to the state semi-finals and a rematch with No.1 seed Umpqua Valley Christian on Tuesday.

        “We practice a lot of different scenarios daily, different comeback scenarios,” Coach Miller said. “Once they started to focus on things we could control in the game, I felt good things would start to happen. We just needed something positive to happen and then it would build on itself. It took us a while, but we got there.”

      Barendse said the team just stayed the course.

    “I’m not going to lie, I started to get down and our team started going down as well,” Barendse said. “It literally takes one hit and our team got back on it, we started to get hits and it went up from there.”

    Starting pitcher Stevens admitted it started out rough. “From the first inning we made some crucial errors, but we just stuck with it.”

     The Loggers now will make a trip down to Roseburg for game two of the season series against Umpqua Valley Christian. The Monarchs are 26-4 on the season and one of the top teams in 2A-4A, but the Loggers hope they can pull off an upset. Knappa was one of the four teams to beat the Monarchs this season. Back on April 5th the Loggers defeated Umpqua by a score of 2-1. The winner of that game will make a return trip to Keizer for the 2A State Title game on June 7th.

 

Warrenton wins another one

     Warrenton Head Coach Lennie Wolfe said after his team’s opening round victory over Lakeview that every 3A playoff game is going to be difficult. His words rang true on Friday afternoon.

    The Warriors had to fight for seven innings to put away a feisty North Valley team. After taking a 4-1 lead, the Warriors saw the Cardinals storm back to tie the game at four. But the Warriors then overcame three fielding errors and seven North Valley hits to prevail 6-4, after scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

     A single by senior Wyatt Bond was the difference for Warrenton. In total, the Warriors tallied 10 hits, which included two each from Ryan Palmer, Odin Wilson and Brayden Greenawald. On the mound, Talon McGrorty battled through fielding errors to pitch 6.2 innings. He allowed seven hits and three earned runs. Most importantly, the Warriors were able to keep him under the allotted pitch count so he will be available on Tuesday.

   Warrenton will make the long journey to Medford for the second time this season for a semi-final game against Cascade Christian. The winner clinches a berth in the 3A state title game against either Blanchet Catholic or upstart Taft High School.

 

Astoria softball soars to victory

     What a bounce back performance for Astoria on Friday afternoon.

     After Head Coach Kent Israel described the team as being flat against The Dalles, the Fishermen responded with a beat down of Henley. Not only did the Fishermen get revenge against the Hornets from last season’s semi-final defeat, they will return to the 4A state semi-finals.

    Senior Maddie Wilkin set the tone early on the mound. She overpowered the Hornets, holding them to just two hits in a seven inning complete game shutout.

     The Fishermen teed off on Hornets freshman starter Rylee Hollingsworth. In total, they had 11 hits and scored eight runs. Kya Lindell led the way with a 3-4 and two RBI day. Aryana Adams had two hits and Lyla Carlson had two RBI’s.

    Next up for the Fishermen is a long drive to Eastern Oregon for a game against No. 2 seed La Grande on Tuesday. The winner will advance to the championship game and play either St. Helens or Pendleton.