It took a disciplined day at the plate for the Roseburg High School baseball team to sweep a doubleheader against the Ashland Grizzlies on Saturday at Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.
Roseburg batters drew 18 walks in the two games combined, winning 10-0 in six innings and 7-3.
“We showed good discipline at the plate today and when we had the opportunities to score, it was slow and choppy when it was, but we were able to push them across,” said Roseburg coach Troy Thompson. “Doesn’t matter how they get there, but they get there.”
Roseburg (9-3) scored seven times in the third inning of game one to break open a scoreless contest. Ashland starter Cruz Dreiling surrendered five runs after issuing five walks and one hit batter all with two outs.
A two-run double by Sebastian Watson capped the scoring in the third. Roseburg put the game away early with three runs in the sixth.
Evan Corbin stifled the Ashland bats through the six inning contest. The sophomore allowed just two hits, while striking out six and walking one.
Roseburg jumped on Ashland (2-9) early in game two with a pair of big hits in the second inning. Leading 1-0, Roseburg tacked on a run on a triple by Watson and plated another on a ground-rule double by Dawson Gillespie.
The Grizzlies got within a run in the fourth inning against Roseburg starter Austin Takahashi with a sac fly by Tyadi Williams and a two-out single by Keller Bloodworth.
The two teams traded runs over the next couple of innings, but Roseburg built an insurmountable lead with a three-run sixth.
Ashland’s pitchers once again struggled to find the strike zone in the sixth and walked home two of Roseburg’s three runs. Dominic Tatone drove in the final run with a sac fly to put RHS on top 7-3.
Logan Klopfentstein closed out the sweep by retiring the final six batters after taking over for Takahashi in the sixth inning. The junior earned his first save of the season, while Takahashi picked up his first win.
“After this sweep, I think we found our rhythm and I think we’re ready to face anybody and beat them,” Takahashi said.
Roseburg remains half a game behind North Medford for first place in the Southern Oregon Conference regional league created for this season. There are three games left on the RHS schedule.
Up next, Roseburg will host South Medford on Tuesday for a single game starting at 5 p.m.
First game
Ashland;000;000;—;0;2;1
Roseburg;007;003;—;10;6;0
Dreiling, Ransweiler (3), Anway (4), Thompson (6) and Kemper. Corbin and Hubbard. W — Evan Corbin (4-0). L — Cruz Dreiling.
Second game
Ashland;000;201;0;—;3;2;4
Roseburg;030;103;—;7;6;0
Brabec, Bloodworth (6), Ransweiler (6) and Dreiling. Takahashi, Klopfenstein (6) and Hubbard. W — Austin Takahashi (1-0). L — Gabe Brabec. S — Logan Klopfenstein (1). 2B — Carter (A), Gillespie (R).
