EUGENE – The Roseburg baseball team earned a pair of comeback victories against the Willamette Wolverines on Saturday to move into sole possession of first place in the Southwest Conference.
The Indians swept the Wolverines thanks to a five-run seventh inning in game two. Willamette starter Ryan Chesla had held Roseburg scoreless through the first six innings and allowed just three hits, but the Indians broke through in the final frame. Down to their last three outs, the Indians got the game-tying run on base when Kaden Seely got hit by a pitch from Chesla.
Collin Warmouth moved Seely to second base with a sacrifice bunt and Terrell Jacks drove in the tying run with a double to left field. Brendan Ibarra grounded out for the second out and it almost looked like the Indians would only score the one time. But Chesla walked the next batter and then gave up an RBI double to Garrett Russell and Roseburg took its first lead of the game.
Colby Curtis took over on the mound for Chesla, but he couldn’t get out of the inning before three more runs would come home. When the inning came to an end, Roseburg had scored four runs with two outs.
Roseburg starter Cody Johnson went the distance to earn his second win of the season. The junior struck out 11 batters while walking none. He gave up just six hits and one unearned run.
In game one, the Indians trailed 2-0 until the third inning when Luke Lucido drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Roseburg (9-5; 5-2 SWC) took the lead in the fourth inning with three runs on three hits and an error. The Tribe added a run in the the fifth, sixth and seventh innings for a 7-3 victory.
Zack Mandera earned his team-high fourth win of the season. He pitched five innings and allowed just one earned run on six hits.
Kaden Seely went 3-for-4 at the plate in the first game and scored two runs. The Indians had 10 hits total in the opener. Junior Luke Lucido extended his hitting streak to nine-games with a single in each game.
Roseburg took a slim lead in the race for the conference crown. The Indians now have a half-game lead over Sheldon.
First Game
Roseburg 001 311 1 — 7 11 2
Willamette 200 001 0— 3 6 1
Mandera, Warmouth (6) and Te. Jacks; Bracy, Rosebrook (6) and Thorn. WP — Mandera (1K). LP — Bracy. 2B — Seely (R).
RBIs — Roseburg 4 (Townsend 2, Six 1, Lucido 1), Willamette 2 (Bracy 2).
Second Game
Roseburg 000 000 5 — 5 7 1
Willamette 000 010 0 — 1 7 2
Johnson and Te. Jacks; Chesla, Curtis (7) and Thorn. WP — Johnson (2-2). LP — Chesla. 2B — Te. Jacks (R), Russell (R).
RBIs — Roseburg 5 (Te. Jacks 1, Russell 1, Lucido 2, Johnson 1), Willamette 1 (Allen 1).
