CENTRAL POINT, OR – The Class A American Legion baseball state tournament got underway Wednesday morning as the Umpqua Lions and North Jackson Royals squared off in the first round of the double elimination bracket. It was a struggle offensively for the Lions and North Jackson ran away with a 7-1 victory.

Umpqua managed just four hits off of the Royals. Trevor Melhoff had two hits in the game and scored the only run for the Lions. Riley Westbrooks and Andrew Harrington were the only other batters for Umpqua to notch a hit.

Bailey Johnson took the loss for the Lions, allowing eight hits to North Jackson. But the defense behind Johnson didn’t help him out. The Lions committed four errors in the contest.

Up next, the Umpqua Lions will face elimination from the tournament in a 9 a.m. game Thursday. The Lions will face the loser of North Medford and La Grande.