The top eight class-A American Legion baseball teams will gather at Bill Gray Stadium at Legion Field starting Saturday to decide the 2019 state champion.
The five-day tournament will feature two teams from Douglas County, the host Pepsi Bottlecaps and the Dr. Randol’s Crowns.
Filling out the rest of the bracket is North Medford, Stayton, North Coos, La Grande, Central Point and Alpenrose Dairy from the Portland area. Two of the eight teams will have the privilege of advancing to the Northwest Regional in Cody, Wyoming.
Dr. Randol’s (12-10; 10-6 Area 4 North) battled its way to a second place finish in league to qualify for the state tournament. The Crowns reached the state tournament a year ago and won a game in the opening round before eventually being eliminated.
First-year Crowns coach Eric Savage feels his squad is capable of making a run through the state bracket, but knows they need to turn things around from an up-and-down finish to the regular season.
“It’s really important to play seven innings of quality baseball, which we’ve struggled to do in the last three doubleheaders we’ve had,” said Savage. “I’m confident as long as we show up to the yard and do what we’re capable of doing.”
Savage has leaned on a pair of returning players to help guide Dr. Randol’s this season: CJ Gale and Brett Narkiewicz. The pair have been the nucleus of the offense this year, according to Savage, and while they may not lead with their words, they’ve done it with their actions.
“They’ve been our constant. They show up to the yard everyday and they work,” explained Savage. “They do a really good job.”
Dr. Randol’s will play in the first game of the tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday against Alpenrose Dairy. Rylan Watkins is expected to get the ball on the mound.
Savage says his pitchers have struggled lately with their command and will need to limit the number of walks allowed, but he’s confident that the Crowns have a staff capable of going on a run.
“I think we have enough arms that we can win this dang thing,” admitted Savage.
On the other side of the bracket will be the Pepsi Bottlecaps (13-14; 6-10 Area 4 North). The ‘Caps face La Grande at 7 p.m. in the final game of day one.
It’s the eighth consecutive season that Pepsi has made it to the state tournament. Head coach Justin O’Byrne said it’s been a different ride to the postseason than in years past, but the Bottlecaps will have their shot as the host team.
“We’re in the bracket,” O’Byrne said. “Doesn’t matter how we got there.”
Pepsi started the season with a couple of three-game losing streaks and found itself five games under .500 before heading to Eugene for a tournament at Sheldon High School. That proved to be a turning point in the year.
“Reaching the championship game (of the Sheldon Tournament) gave the guys a taste,” O’Byrne explained. The Bottlecaps turned the season around going 7-5 over the final 12 games, including a three-game winning streak.
Pepsi returns four players from last year’s team that reached the state tournament. Trevor Muir, Blake Watson, Grant Berry and Nathan Wayman have all been leading by example for O’Byrne this season.
O’Byrne feels his team is “battle tested” after a season of numerous close losses. He’s excited for the games to come, but knows his team needs to sustain a high level of play for all seven innings of the game.
The other day one match-ups at the tournament will feature North Medford against Stayton at 1 p.m. and North Coos versus Central Point at 4 p.m.
Live audio broadcasts of Dr. Randol’s and Pepsi will be available during the state tournament on douglascountysportsonline.com.
