Baseball
Recaps
■ COTTAGE GROVE fell behind Sweet Home 7-6 after Sweet Home scored a last-minute run in the top of the eighth inning. The Lions attempted to rally at the bottom and Evan Emmick scored a single and was able to advance to second base, but his attempt was cut short by two strikeouts and a popout. However, the Lions were originally ahead by an explosive four-run sixth inning through singles and errors. Micah Spear went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. His brother Nolan Spear earned two runs, both prompted by Micah scoring a double and a single. The Lions then traveled to face Class 5A Springfield and edged out a 5-4 victory with a single run in the top eighth inning. It started when both teams came out hot, each scoring three runs in the first inning. Trevor Simons earned the victory when he singled on a ground ball in the top of the eighth and allowed Micah Spear to advance from third. Landon Vaughn went 3-for-4 with one RBI.
■ CRESWELL went 0-3 last week, which started with a 6-1 loss to Santiam Christian. Despite the Bulldogs being the first to get on the board in the third inning with one run, the Eagles took off with six runs in the top fifth. Deacon Edwards went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Coleman Breslaw earned the run for the Bulldogs when Edwards singled on a line drive to center field. The Bulldogs then lost to the Glide Wildcats 0-2 in a doubleheader on Friday. It started with Glide taking the lead with four runs in the first two innings. But then the Bulldogs rallied with three runs in the top fourth when Jaxon Pelham, Colden Clark, and Cody Winn, combined three singles, allowing three base runners to score. Colton Hartman and Gavin Crowl both went 2-for-3, with Hartman earning a run. The Wildcats then made a run in the bottom seventh to earn their 5-4 win. The Bulldogs then followed up with another one-run loss to Glide, 8-7, when the Wildcats scored again in the bottom seventh. Standout was Matthew Jenkins, who went 3-for-4 with two runs.
■ PLEASANT HILL lost to the Class 4A Cascade Cougars 5-1 last week and had a cancellation with Stayton on Friday due to weather. Against Cascade, each team scored a run in the first inning, but the Cougars followed up with a successful two-run second inning and scored two more runs in the fifth and sixth for their victory. Caleb Van Ordstrand earned the Billies’ single run by coming out as the first batter and scoring a double. He then crossed home when his teammate Judah Kelso got out on a sacrifice fly. Van Ordstrand went 2-for-3 overall.
■ SPRINGFIELD lost to Class 4A Cottage Grove 5-4 last Saturday. It started with both teams coming out flaming hot, scoring three runs each in the first inning. Clay Rhoades, Tucker Muhs, and Darius Bullock, earned the runs for the Millers with Timothy James scoring their last run in the bottom fifth. Bullock went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Previews
#14 COTTAGE GROVE (6-5)
■ Leading off: The Lions open up the Sky-Em League on campus this week against a challenging opponent: No. 1 North Bend (8-2). If the Lions are to compete with the Bulldogs, they’ll have to rely on an explosive, high-scoring inning, such as when they scored 6 runs in the bottom of the second against Creswell last week. Look for Trevor Cooper, who scored four runs for the Lions in their last game, as well as Micah Spear, who threw a seven-inning no-hitter and struck out 12 Bulldogs.
#30 SPRINGFIELD (1-7)
■ Leading off: The Millers pack their bags and load the bus to Eagle Point in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Millers must kickstart the Midwestern League on a strong start if they wish to balance their non-league record this season. However, coach Kyle Casperson has emphasized that this is a culture-building season for the Millers this year; they remain focused on the foundations.
#3 THURSTON (9-2)
■ Leading off: The Colts host No. 25 North Eugene (4-5) in a doubleheader on Saturday. As the reigning six-time Midwestern League champions, the start of league season should be a spring breeze for the Colts. However, coach Dennis Minium has said they take every game seriously and improve throughout the season.
Softball
Recaps
■ COTTAGE GROVE lost 4-2 to Sweet Home last Tuesday. Initially, the teams were tied at 2-2 in the first four innings until the Huskies pulled away with two runs in the bottom fifth for victory. Kylee Cordin went 1-for-2. Emily Pacheco recorded five strikeouts but walked 5 from the mound.
■ CRESWELL dominated Sutherlin 14-4 last Tuesday with an explosive seven-run sixth inning through singles and walks. Savannah Rook and Jordynn Marklin each went 3-for-4, with Rook earning three runs. Elise Thackara went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.On Friday, the Bulldogs lost to Glide 12-2 and then 7-3 in a doubleheader. The Wildcats scored a run in every single innin,g with a notable six total runs in the fifth and sixth innings and the Wildcats earned 20 total hits in the game. Kaylee Waller went 1-for-3 with Regan Gwaltney earning the two runs for the Billies. In their second game, despite the Wildcats having scored all seven of their runs by the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs rallied with three runs in the top seventh. Waller went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Thackara went 2-for-1.
■ PLEASANT HILL crushed Western Christian 18-2 on Tuesday. The Billies hit the ground running with 10 runs in the first two innings and sustained their lead from there. The Billies recorded 13 total hits. Erin Bray went 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs. Pitcher Acadia Bloxman allowed five hits, walked four and struck out four. On Wednesday, the Billies lost to the 4A Cascade Cougars 12-2 when the Cougars had a six-run first inning. Reagan Dockery and Erin McAllister earned the two runs for the Billies. On Thursday, the Billies played through three innings with 4A Stayton before the rain washed the game out. The Billies then closed out their week with a 5-4 loss and 9-8 loss doubleheader against 1A/2A North Douglas on Saturday. Bloxman and Kendall Carey both went 3-for-4 with a run. In their 9-8 loss, June Johnson went 2-for-3 with a run and Carey went 2-for-4.
■ THURSTON opened the Midwestern League and went 3-0 with Churchill last week. On Wednesday, the Colts took a 10-0 victory that started with four runs in the top second inning. After two runs and two outs in the top second, Raygan Litle came to bat and made a triple that advanced two teammates to home and brought up their score 4-0. She went 2-for-2 with three runs and one RBI. In the Colts’ first game in their doubleheader, the Colts scored 12 runs by the bottom third inning. Syren Ferguson went 3-for-3 with six RBIs. Daphnie Heckel went 2-for-2 with four runs and three RBIs. The Colts came away with an 18-0 victory. In their last game with Churchill, the Colts won 6-2 by earning six runs between the fourth and fifth innings. Pitcher Kasey Ogan recorded 9 total strikeouts combined in both games.
– All statistics from GameChanger.com
Previews
#16 COTTAGE GROVE (4-4)
■ Leading off: The Lions host North Bend for a doubleheader in a Sky-Em League kick-off this Friday. The North Bend Bulldogs have faced a tumultuous start to their season and went 3-7 in non-league. Though the Bulldogs claimed second in Sky-Em last year after climbing up in the late season, the Lions took last. If the Lions wish to have a fiery start to league, pitcher Emily Pacheco will have to secure the mound. She recorded 21 strikeouts last week.
#24 CRESWELL (4-4) at #27 PLEASANT HILL (1-5)
■ Leading off: The Billies open the Mountain Valley Conference on campus Friday in a Creswell doubleheader. The Billies have faced a rough season start with the recent obstacles of weather cancellations and spring break. Coach Nikki Derrick hopes to settle the younger team this year with few returning players. The Bulldogs have had a mixed non-league season. Watch for pitchers Hope Ukolov and Elise Thackara.
#27 SPRINGFIELD (4-5)
■ Leading off: The Millers host Eagle Point in a doubleheader this Friday. Last season, the Millers went 0-3 against the Eagles. Look for Avorie Schneider, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI last game, as well as Chloe Sankey, who earned the victory on the mound, recording 14 strikeouts.
#2 THURSTON (8-2)
■ Leading off: The Colts host North Eugene in a doubleheader Friday. The Colts have had an explosive start to their season with a successful preseason tournament in Medford (3-1). Last season, the Colts swept the Highlanders 3-0. Look for Kassey Anderson, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI against Canby last week and Kendall Miller, who was 2-for-3 and scored a run.
Track and Field
Recpas
■ SPRINGFIELD beat Marist in its dual meet last Wednesday and the girls team placed 25th at the T Smith Need For Speed Sherwood Invitational on Saturday. Against Marist, the long-distance boys team dominated. Uriah Mccullers took first in the 400 meters. Edyn Swartz earned second and Quintyn Lamb took third. In the 1500 meters, Jeyder Espino Sosa took first, Brylen Sanders second, and Vincent Andrews third. In the 3000 meters, Adrian Estes took first, Leonardo Whisler second with a season record and Leandro Walker third with a season record. On the field girls team, Sailor Hall took first in both the discus and shot put. Natalie Bell took first in the pole vault. In the long jump, Sydney Pendleton took first, Natalie Nadeau second, and Audrey Sommerville third. Hall placed seventh in the Sherwood Invitational amid 66 other competitors and Bell placed fourth with 28 other competitors.
■ COTTAGE GROVE competed at the Roseburg Twilight Invitational on Saturday. Carter Bengtson recorded 4:04 in the 1500-meter race for third place and the “fastest time in Cottage Grove history over 40 years.” Clayton Dewitt threw a season-best in the discus for a 4th-place finish. Carly Knutson was the top placer for the girls with a four-second personal best and third-place finish in the 800 meters. Emmy Bickford ran a league-leading time in the 300m hurdles for a fourth-place finish.
– McKenzie Days, The Chronicle
