An early June call-up from the Pepsi Bottlecaps provided the chance for catcher Parker Burke to make a dream come true on Saturday night at Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.
After giving up a three-run lead in the top of the seventh, the Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s needed just one run in their final at bats to finish off a sweep against the Post 6 Barbers from Portland. Burke stepped to the plate with two runners on base and drove in the winning run with his first hit in a Docs’ uniform.
“It was really exciting. I mean it’s every kid’s dream,” said Burke, seconds before a couple of teammates doused him with water bottles.
The Docs (2-2) swept the Barbers (5-3) with a pair of walk-off victories. A bases-loaded walk in extra innings gave Roseburg a 5-4 win in game one and Burke’s hit in the bottom of the seventh in game two notched a 9-8 victory.
“These are the kind of wins that really change the chemistry of the team,” said Docs coach Jeremiah Robbins. “You kind of saw it at the end there, they mobbed Parker and that’s what we want them to do. When you’re playing hard, have fun with this thing.”
Game one was scoreless for the first four innings. Docs pitcher Austin Anderson went toe-to-toe with Barbers pitcher Riley Harbaugh. Both starters lasted just four innings and each team started to see success against the bullpens.
Post 6 struck first with three runs in the fifth. Barry Sherrill capped the inning with a two-run, two-out double.
The Docs responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth off of Sherrill. Dawson Gillespie, Jett Black and Dominic Tatone drove in runs in consecutive at bats.
The teams traded runs in the seventh inning. The Docs tied the score 4-4 to force extra innings thanks to a wild pitch that plated Tatone.
Gillespie hit a leadoff triple in the home half of the eighth to put the pressure on the Barbers.
Post 6 intentionally loaded the bases and got one out, but a walk to Knox Hubbard brought home the winning run.
The Docs had to come from behind again in game two. The Barbers led 5-0 after the first two innings, but were held scoreless for the next four frames.
The Docs managed to bring a run home in every inning from the third on and slowly chipped away at the deficit. Roseburg tied the game in the fifth on a groundout by Black and then took an 8-5 lead in the sixth thanks to a two-run double by Kade Johnson and a single by Gillespie.
The Barbers didn’t relent though. They rallied back with three runs in the seventh to tie the game and force the Docs to bat in the seventh.
Walks to Logan Klopfenstein and Sebastian Watson got the game-winning run in scoring position and Burke single to shallow right field finished off the night.
“I was excited and anxious almost, because this is like my dream,” said Burke, who said he didn’t have nerves in making his Docs debut.
“I knew if I was nervous I wouldn’t do well, I just had to be confident.”
The Docs had seven hits in each game against the Barbers. Gillespie went 3-for-4 with a triple and a RBI in game one, while Johnson was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in game two.
Up next, the Docs will have a couple days away from competition before hosting a 10-team Father’s Day Tournament starting Wednesday. The Docs will play the late game in each day of the tournament, starting with Grants Pass on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
First game
Barbers;000;030;10;—;4;4;1
Docs;000;030;11;—;5;7;1
Harbaugh, Sherrill (5) and Bickford. Anderson, Delcollo (5), Black (6) and Hubbard. W — Black (1-0). L — Sherrill. 2B — Schoope (B), Rossell (B), Black (D). 3B — Gillespie (D).
Second game
Barbers;410;000;3;—;8;12;1
Docs;003;113;1;—;9;7;3
Hergert, Haaland (4), Belden (6), Miller (7), Robison (7) and Bickford. Corbin, Klopfenstein (6) and Burke. W — Klopfenstein (1-0). L — Miller. 2B — Johnson (D). 3B — Black (D).
