ROSEBURG – It was a banner day at the ballpark for the Umpqua Lions baseball team on Wednesday. The Lions snapped a three-game losing streak and earned their first win of the year with a seventh inning rally against North Jackson in game one of a non-league doubleheader.
Umpqua trailed 2-1 going to the final frame, but got the first two hitters on base with walks. A sacrifice bunt put both runners into scoring position and another walk loaded the bases. Riley Westbrooks came through with a one-out single to tie the game and after a pop-out, Bailey Johnson hit a clutch, two-out single to drive in the winning run.
The Lions fell behind 1-0 at the start of the game when North Jackson scored an unearned run in the first inning. Umpqua fought back to tie the game in the third inning on back-to-back singles by Zach Holland and Westbrooks. North Jackson retook the lead in the fourth on a two-out single by Chuck Little.
Westbrooks led the Lions in game one with two hits. North Jackson out-hit the Lions 7-4. Jacob Nielson and Trae Perkins each had two hits for North Jackson in game one.
Umpqua swept the doubleheader with an 11-6 win in game two. The Lions improved to 2-3 overall. The team is back to action Thursday with a road doubleheader at Central Point. Game one begins at 5:30 p.m.
All three local Legion baseball teams are in action Thursday, as the Doc’s and Pepsi Bottlecaps both play doubleheaders.
The Doc’s are trying to snap out of their own losing streak. After dropping two games against Klamath Falls on Tuesday, the Doc’s have lost three straight games. The team will try to right the ship with a pair of non-league games on Thursday. Up first, the Doc’s play host to a traveling team from Australia. It’s the second-consecutive year that the Australian squad has made a stop in Roseburg. Their game begins at 4 p.m.
Following that, the Doc’s will host the Corvallis Gerding Builders Marketmen for a nine-inning wood bat game, scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Thursday’s games continue a busy stretch for the Doc’s. The team is in the midst of a nine game schedule over a six day span.
The Pepsi Bottlecaps look to follow up their wins against the Umpqua Lions on Monday with a victorious trip to North Medford for a non-league doubleheader. The twin bill begins at 3 p.m.
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