EUGENE – A pair of eight-run innings propelled the Roseburg Pepsi Bottlecaps to a 19-16 win over two-time defending regional champion Bitterroot (MT) on Friday at the American Legion Class A Northwest Regional tournament in Eugene.

The Bottlecaps fell behind 3-0 in the first inning, but rallied to take the lead in the fourth. Pepsi loaded the bases with two outs and Spencer Six got Roseburg on the board with a triple. Doran Gillespie followed with a double, Brody Black hit a single and Jonathan Stone finished off the scoring with a double. All told the Bottlecaps had eight hits in the inning and led 8-3 going to the fifth.

Bitterroot scored a pair of runs in the fifth, but the Bottlecaps put together another eight-run inning in the bottom of the fifth. The Red Sox pitching struggled to find the strike zone and walked five batters in the frame to go along with four Pepsi hits.

The large lead was needed for Roseburg as the Montana state champs didn’t fade away. Bitterroot scored five runs over the final two innings to draw within three runs, but Pepsi managed to hold off the rally.

Gillespie, Six, and Stone all finished with three hits for the Bottlecaps. Brody Black pitched 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory.

The Pepsi Bottlecaps move on to the second round of the winner’s bracket to face a familiar foe. Roseburg will square off against North Willamette Valley, the Oregon state champs, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Bottlecaps and Huskies met twice during the state tournament and North Willamette Valley won both match-ups.

Bitterroot (MT) 300;025;132 – 16;17;2
Pepsi (OR) 000;882;10X – 19;18;5