ROSEBURG – The Umpqua Lions were in action Wednesday night with a home league doubleheader against the Grants Pass Diggers. The Lions had a shot at sweeping the Diggers, but settled for a split to move to 5-3 in league play.

In the opener, the Lions built an early 4-0 lead, but let it slip away for an 8-7 loss to the Diggers.

Umpqua took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on hits by Kyler Lieshner and Bailey Johnson. The Lions stretched the lead to 4-0 on a groundout in the second, but Grants Pass rallied to tie the game in the fifth.

The Diggers pulled ahead with three runs in the sixth and added a very important insurance run in the seventh to lead 8-6 going to the Lions’ final at bats. The first two Umpqua batters were walked and a sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position. Cordell Moyers had an RBI single to get the Lions within a run, but the final out was made with the tying run on third base.

Johnson finished game one going 3-for-3 with two runs scored an a walk. Lieshner scored three times for the Lions and had two singles.

Umpqua got its revenge in game two with a 5-0 shutout victory. Bailey Johnson again had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and a single. Jacob Luther added a triple for the powerful Umpqua bats.

The Lions get a day off before visiting North Medford for a non-league game on Friday at noon.