A disappointing trend continued for the Roseburg High School baseball team against the Willamette Wolverines on Tuesday.
The Indians got eight strong innings on the mound from starting pitcher Jake Johnson, but the offense failed to capitalize on its chances in a nine-inning 5-2 Southwest Conference loss against Willamette at Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.
The loss stretched Roseburg’s losing streak to a season-high four games and dropped the Tribe into fourth place in the conference standings with two games left to play.
“Nothing’s more frustrating than the inability to put the ball in play with runners on base and in scoring position and unfortunately tonight that cost us several opportunities,” Roseburg coach Troy Thompson said.
Roseburg (16-7, 9-7 SWC) was missing starters Evan Corbin and Jayce Wilder and regular contributor Brayden Russell, due to disciplinary reasons.
Despite being short-handed, the Tribe managed to get runners on board in all but two innings. Bringing the runners home remained an issue that has plagued the Indians throughout much of the season.
Roseburg left 11 runners on base, including seven stranded in scoring position. The Indians had runners in scoring position with less than two outs in four of the nine innings.
Willamette starter Ryan Prescott and reliever Joey Garboden managed to work through the tough situations and limited Roseburg to just four hits in the contest.
Garboden earned the win out of the bullpen, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings, while giving up just two hits and striking out a pair.
Johnson was also impressive on the mound, despite a rocky start. Noah Cox led off with a single on the first pitch of the game and was followed by three more hits, including an RBI double for Prescott.
Willamette (9-15, 5-11) led 2-0 after the first inning, but Johnson kept the Wolverines off the board for the next seven frames.
The Indians got a run across in the second inning. Parker Burke hit a ground-rule double over the left field fence with one out. Dane St. Clair entered as a courtesy runner and scored shortly after on a sacrifice fly by Johnson.
Roseburg tied the game 2-2 in the fifth inning when Burke drew a bases loaded walk with two outs.
Neither team could break the tie in regulation and the contest went to extra innings.
Johnson was lifted after issuing a leadoff walk in the ninth. He finished the game with nine strikeouts and just two walks over eight innings.
“Another outstanding start by Jake and unfortunately offensively we couldn’t get it done for him tonight,” Thompson said.
Brevin Harrison took over for Roseburg and promptly got back-to-back strikeouts, but Cox kept the ninth inning alive for the Wolverines with his third base hit of the game and Tyson Rather followed with another two-out single.
Rather’s hit to centerfield drove in the go-ahead run for Willamette and then chaos ensued.
The throw to the plate ricocheted off of Burke’s catchers helmet as it sat in front of home plate. The loose ball allowed Cox to score and Rather came all the way home on the play after another throw got away down the first base line.
Roseburg got a runner aboard with a walk in the bottom of the ninth, but never threatened to mount a rally.
Willamette’s first four batters did all the damage at the plate, collecting all 10 hits in the game for the Wolverines. Cox and Rather both had three each.
Roseburg will finish out the regular season on Saturday with a league doubleheader aginst Southwest Conference champion North Medford. Game 1 from Champion Car Wash Field starts at noon.
The Black Tornado clinched the regular season title with a 3-2 win over South Medford in nine innings on Tuesday.
Willamette 200 000 003 — 5 10 0
Roseburg 010 010 000 — 2 4 3
Prescott, Garboden (6) and Koffler; Johnson, Harrison (9) and Burke. W — Garboden. L — Johnson (4-3). 2B — Prescott (W), Burke (R).
