EUGENE – A pair of losses on Saturday to the Sheldon Irish dropped the Roseburg baseball team into a three-way tie for fourth place in the Southwest Conference.

Zack Mandera and Josh Vitus battled in a pitchers duel to open the twin bill, but a trio of errors cost the Indians a 2-0 loss.

Both pitchers allowed just two hits through the first three innings and kept the opponents off the scoreboard. Vitus pitched out of a jam in the first. Back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Roseburg, but the Irish cut down a runner at the plate and got an inning-ending double play to avoid an early deficit.

Mandera allowed just one runner past first base through the first three innings and a double play in the first helped Roseburg keep Sheldon off the scoreboard.

The Irish broke through in the third inning thanks to a pair of Roseburg errors. A fielding error at third led off the home half of the inning and a wild pitch put the Sheldon runner at second. A one out single gave the Irish runners at first and third. They took a 1-0 lead when Terrell Jacks tried to throw out a runner stealing second and overthrew the bag.

Sheldon added another run in the fifth. A pick-off throw to first by Mandera went wide of the bag and Sheldon’s Tanner Zenke was able to advance all the way to third. He scored one batter later on a single by Matt Land.

Both of Sheldon’s runs were unearned. Mandera pitched the whole game and only allowed four hits, while walking one and striking out three. He took his first loss in a conference game.

Roseburg (11-11; 7-8 SWC) saw a disappointing offensive trend continue. The Indians left seven runners in scoring position and had runners at second or third with less than two outs on three occasions. Vitus picked up the win and Zach Diehl earned the save in the seventh.

Sheldon (15-6; 12-4 SWC) got a much quicker start in game two. The Irish score five times in the second inning off of Roseburg starter Luke Lucido. Sheldon added another two runs in the third to lead 7-0.

Roseburg finally scored its first runs of the afternoon in the top of the seventh inning. Spencer Six drove in Roseburg’s first run and Luke Lucido drove in two more runs with a double. The Indians’ rally fell short in a 7-3 defeat.

Roseburg is now tied with Grants Pass and North Medford for fourth in the Southwest Conference. The top four teams in the conference automatically earn a berth in the state playoffs. Roseburg holds the head-to-head tiebreaker against Grants Pass and will face North Medford in a doubleheader on Saturday to end the regular season.

NOTE: Roseburg junior Luke Lucido had a double in his final at bat of game one to extend his hitting streak and he had two doubles in game two. Lucido now has recorded a hit in 17 straight games.

GAME ONE
ROSEBURG 000;000;0 – 0;5;3
SHELDON 000;110;X – 2;4;1
Mandera and Jacks. Vitus, Diehl (7) and Hansen. WP – Vitus. LP – Mandera (5-2)
2B – Lucido (R). 3B – Ibarra (R).

GAME TWO
ROSEBURG 000;000;3 – 3;6;3
SHELDON 052;000;X – 7;8;1
Lucido, Alexander (5), Warmouth (6) and Jacks, Six. Dudley, Loshbaugh (7) and Hansen. WP – Dudley. LP – Lucido (2-1).
2B – Lucido, 2 (R), Johnson (R), Long (S), Land (S).