Roseburg’s Jace Stoffal is congratulated at home after tying the score against Canby in the first round of the state playoffs. (PHOTO: Mike Henneke/The News-Review)

ROSEBURG — The Roseburg High baseball team overcame a one-run deficit to the Canby Cougars with a two-out rally in the sixth inning and pulled off a 3-1 comeback victory in the first round of the 6A state playoffs Monday at Bill Gray Stadium at Legion Field.

The Indians advance to the second round of the playoffs for a third consecutive season. They will host No. 22 Sprague, which upset No. 11 Westview 4-3. The game will be played Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

Follow the action on CBS Sports Radio 1490 The Score or watch online HERE. Pregame starts at 4:15 p.m.

Senior Sean Wiese gave No. 27 Canby (9-19) a 1-0 lead in the top of sixth inning on his third hit of the game. The single to left field drove in Cayden Delozier, who had led off the inning with his third hit of the day. Both Canby sluggers finished the day 3-for-3.

The six-seeded Indians (16-6) had managed just three hits through five innings against Wiese, who started on the hill for Canby. Yet, in the sixth the Tribe managed to capitalize on its chances.

“I thought our kids did a great job of staying with it, staying focused,” said Roseburg coach Troy Thompson. “Even after we get down 1-0 there in the top of the sixth, to come back and put three on the board and then to finish the game the way we did, it was an outstanding effort for our guys.”

Roseburg’s rally started with a one-out double by Jace Stoffal that hit off the top of the wall in left center field. Stoffal came around to score the game-tying run after a fielding error by Delozier at shortstop. Two batters later, Spencer Six notched a two-out single that drove Wiese out of the game with runners on second and third.

Delozier came on in relief to get the final out of the sixth, but prior to doing so, Roseburg’s Caden Johnson recorded his third hit of the game and drove in two runs to put the Indians ahead 3-1.

“I’ve been in a slump for who knows how many games,” Johnson said. “It just felt so so good to come out and have a good night when it really, really matters in the playoffs.”

Stoffal took over on the mound for Mandera in the seventh and faced four batters before earning his first save of the season. Mandera improved to 8-2 on the year with the win.

“It was a close ballgame. We were kind of slow with the bats, so I just had to go out there and push harder every inning,” Mandera explained.

“That’s kind of a whole microcosm of his whole career,” Thompson added about Mandera’s performance. “He’s going to battle and give you everything he’s got for every pitch, every inning. He’ll work himself out of some jams like he did tonight and just give us a chance to win.”

Both teams had opportunities to score early in the game, but couldn’t take advantage.

Roseburg loaded the bases in the first inning with just one out, but Wiese got back-to-back pop-outs to retire the side.

Canby nearly put a run on the board in the fourth, but centerfielder Jett Black gunned down Delozier at the plate to keep the game scoreless.


Canby 000;001;0 — 1;8;2

Roseburg 000;003;X — 3;6;0

Wiese, Delozier (6) and Sasse; Mandera, Stoffal (7) and Six. WP — Mandera, 8-2. LP — Wiese, 3-5. S — Stoffal, 1. 2B — Delozier (C), Johsnon (R), Stoffal (R).

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