ROSEBURG – It took a late rally, but the Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s swept the visiting Eugene Challengers in an Area 4 doubleheader on Friday and moved into a tie for first place in the league standings.
The Doc’s started the night with an 11-7 win in game one and polished off the sweep with a walk-off 11-10 victory in game two. Roseburg improved to 4-2 in Area 4 games and is now tied for first with Medford and Willamette Valley.
Game one started with Eugene building a 4-0 lead in the first inning off of Doc’s starter Payton Hope. The Challengers smacked four straight hits to start the game and Kellar Edwards, Peyton Bracy, and Prestin White all drove in runs.
Roseburg (13-11; 4-2 Area 4) responded to the poor start by scoring all 11 of its runs in the bottom of the first. The Doc’s sent 17 hitters to the plate and drove starting pitcher Damian Carreon Iboa out of the game before the inning came to an end. The first seven Roseburg hitters reached base via either hit, walk, or error. Carreon Iboa exited the game after giving up his seventh hit.
The Doc’s had three extra base hits in the first, including a triple by Cody Johnson – who finished with two hits in the opening frame. Doran Gillepsie and Luke Lucido also had doubles.
Jarrett Allen entered the game in relief and pitched the final 5 1/3 innings. He allowed just three hits in that time and no runs. But the lead was too much for Eugene to overcome.
The Challengers tacked on two runs in the second and another in the sixth. Noah Burke entered the game in the sixth for Hope and earned a five-out save. He closed out the sixth inning with back-to-back bases-loaded strike outs. Hope earned his second win despite giving up seven runs on 10 hits.
In the night cap, the Doc’s got out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a Brody Black double in the first inning. Zack Mandera stifled the Eugene offense over the first four innings, allowing just one hit and no runs.
Eugene (14-12; 2-4 Area 4) finally broke through against Mandera in the fifth. After retiring the first batter, Mandera gave up three straight hits and walked two. The Challengers would end the inning with seven runs on six hits and three Doc’s errors.
Roseburg chipped away at the five-run deficit. The Stewies got three runs back in the fifth inning and retook the lead with another four in the sixth. Brody Black drove in his fourth run of the game with a two out single in the sixth that put the Doc’s ahead 9-7.
The Challengers weren’t done, though, and scored three runs in the top of the seventh to take a 10-9 lead. Drake Borschowa got the Doc’s to within an out of ending the game, but exited with the score 9-8 in Roseburg’s favor and the tying run on third. Noah Burke took over on the mound for a second time on the night and promptly gave up a two-run single to Trent Keeler that put Eugene ahead 10-9.
The Dr. Stewart’s didn’t need much time to rally back. In the bottom of the seventh, Jett Black led off with a walk. That caused a pitching change and Keeler took over trying to earn the save. He gave up a single to Jacob Luther that put the game-tying run in scoring position. Kyler Leischner drove in Jet Black with a double to right field to tie the game.
Luther scored the game-winning run on a throwing error by third baseman Peyton Bracy. Lucido hit a dribbler down the line, forcing Bracy to charge in to make the play. As he planted to throw to first, Bracy crumbled to the ground and missed the mark with his toss. Luther easily scored the winning run and Bracy laid on the infield grass for nearly five minutes after the game went final. He had to be helped off the field and was seen icing his ankle after the contest.
Now the series shifts to Eugene, where the Doc’s will try to win the series with at least a split. Game one of Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 5 p.m. Tune in for pregame coverage starting at 4:45 p.m. on CBS Sports Radio 1490 The Score or watch online at 541radio.com.
Game One
Challengers 420;001;0 — 7;11;5
Dr. Stewart’s (11)00;000;X — 11;10;2
Carreon-Iboa, Allen (1) and Crowson. Hope, N. Burke (6) and Leischner. WP — Payton Hope (2-2). LP — Damian Carreon-Iboa. S — Noah Burke (1).
2B: Edwards (C), Bracy (C) Lund (C), Wilkinson (C), Crowson (C), Lucido (DS), Gillespie (DS), Russell (DS). 3B: Co. Johnson (DS).
Game Two
Challengers 000;070;3 — 10;11;5
Dr. Stewart’s 200;034;2 — 11;13;3
Lund, Crowson (6), Keeler (7) and Updegrave, Woodcook (7), Crowson (7). Mandera, Meisner (5), Borschowa (5), N. Burke (7) and G. Burke, Leischner (7). WP — Noah Burke (2-0). LP — Trent Keeler.
2B: Morgan (C), B. Black (DS), Russell (DS), Leischner 2 (DS).
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