The Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s and the Fairfield Expos went toe-to-toe in the final game of Day 1 in the Docs’ Father’s Day Tournament, but neither team was able to hold on to an advantage within the designated two-hour time limit.
The Expos scored a run in the top of the seventh to draw even with the Docs and the contest went to extra innings, only to finish in a 3-3 tie.
“We keep putting ourselves in a position to win ballgames, but unfortunately it just hasn’t bounced our way,” Docs head coach Eric Savage said. “But if we keep putting ourselves in positions like this I think good things are going to happen.”
The teams traded runs throughout the matchup at Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field. The Expos, from Fairfield, California, scored the first run of the game in the first inning on a throwing error. Noah Rodda scored after reaching base with a leadoff walk.
Dr. Stewart’s (3-5-1) tied the game with a run on a sacrifice fly by Kade Johnson in the home half of the first inning.
Both starting pitchers settled in from there. Fairfield’s Trevor Morse recorded four strikeouts through the first three innings and retired eight straight batters prior to giving up the lead in the fourth.
A two-out walk to Evan Corbin was followed by a wild pitch to put a man in scoring position. Sebastian Watson drove in the go-ahead run on a single to center field.
Fairfield (21-7-1) quickly responded with a run in the top of the fifth off of Docs starter Jace Johnson. A leadoff double by Rodda immediately put a runner in scoring position, but it was again an error by the Docs that allowed the tying run to score.
In the sixth inning it was the Expos who committed an error that led to a runner crossing home. Dr. Stewart’s catcher Knox Hubbard started the frame with a single and courtesy runner Drew Camp advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out.
A two-out grounder to third by Corbin was misplayed, allowing Camp to score and put the Docs ahead 3-2.
The lead didn’t last long. The Expos scored a third unearned run in the seventh on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Rodda. Evan Martin fielded the bunt and hit Rodda with his throw to first base. The loose ball allowed Isaiah Pazmino to score after reaching base with a leadoff single.
The two teams finished regulation prior to the two-hour time limit expiring and went to the eighth inning, where neither squad managed to do anything despite getting a runner on base.
Morse pitched six innings for Fairfield, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Jace Johnson went seven innings for the Docs, allowing eight hits, no earned runs and one walk.
“Really happy for Jace and what he did tonight. We look forward to him doing that more often for us here in the near future. He did a great job of competing,” Savage said.
Fairfield’s Blake Bozzini had two of four doubles hit by the Expos and was the only player with multiple hits in the game.
Kade Johnson and Watson drove in two runs for the Docs.
Dr. Stewart’s will have Thursday off and resume play in its home tournament on Friday against Klamath Falls at 7:40 p.m. The Expos will play Thursday against Moundtime from Portland at 3:30 p.m.
Expos 100 010 10 — 3 9 1
Dr. Stewart’s 100 101 00 — 3 4 3
Morse, Kolakoski (7) and Hague; J. Johnson, Burke (8) and Hubbard. 2B — Bozzini 2 (E), Rodda (E), Carrington (E), Anderson (DS).
