SPRINGFIELD – The Roseburg Doc Stewart’s now play the waiting game after the Doc’s swept a league doubleheader against the Willamette Valley Titans on Tuesday to keep their hopes of a post season alive.
Will Reddekopp and Will Shaw each threw complete game shutouts for the Doc’s. Reddekopp allowed five hits to the Titans in a 10-0 win in game one and Shaw gave up just two hits in a 4-0 win in the nightcap.
“I’m just really proud of them. That was a great team effort,” said head coach Scott Shaver. “Defensively we did a good job. Will and Will were outstanding on the mound for 14 innings and we hit enough.”
The Doc’s took a 1-0 lead in game one on a base hit by Treven Jacks in the top of the second inning. The knock scored Dustin Eakin, who had reached base on a two-out error by the Titans’ first baseman. Roseburg moved ahead 2-0 with a RBI single by Zack Watkins in the fourth inning.
The game stayed close until the top of the seventh when the Doc’s sent 14 hitters to the plate and scored eight runs off of Willamette Valley starter Aaron Patterson and reliever Noah Casarez. The Doc’s had eight hits in the inning, including a three-run homer by Will Reddekopp, his first of the year.
Reddekopp also earned his first win of the season in the complete game shutout. He struck out five Titans’ hitters and walked just one.
Game two was another tight contest until the Doc’s pulled away late. The Doc’s took a 1-0 lead in the first inning despite not getting a hit. Shawn Rigsby reached first on a dropped third strike. He took second on a wild pitch and moved to third on another passed ball. Rigsby then scored the go-ahead run on another wild pitch.
The score remained 1-0 in the Doc’s favor until the sixth inning, when a sacrifice fly from Reddekopp scored Rigsby to make the score 2-0.
Willamette Valley went to reliever Mitchell Williamson in the seventh inning trying to keep the game close, but Williamson struggled with his accuracy and walked three consecutive batters to load the bases with one out. Zack Watkins drove in two runs with a single down the left field line to make the score 4-0.
Will Shaw got a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh inning and he earned his third win of the season. He finished with five strike outs and no walks. His worst blemish was a hit batter in the first inning.
The Doc’s now wait to find out if they will make the regional round of the state post season. The Doc’s could finish fourth in the Area 4 standings and receive the league’s final post season berth if Medford sweeps Grants Pass on Wednesday.
If the Doc’s make it to playoff games later in the week, coach Shaver feels his team is playing well enough to win.
“(Those wins) will boost us to go into Friday and have some confidence,” Shaver explained. “But if unfortunately it does have to end, that’s the kind of performance you want to end on.”
The Medford Mustangs split against the Grants Pass Nuggets in a league doubleheader in Medford in early July. Wednesday’s doubleheader will be played in Grants Pass at Reinhart Volunteer Park. First pitch of game one is slated for a 6 p.m. start.