There might be only one better way to start out a new season than with a win and that’s by starting a season with a walk-off win.
Roseburg’s Cadence Ellenwood dropped a pop-fly into shallow center field to plate Shaeli Sikes in the bottom of the seventh inning, propelling the Indians to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Sunset Apollos in a nonleague game Wednesday.
The season-opening win concluded the first-ever game played on Roseburg High School’s new artificial turf softball field.
“It felt amazing,” Roseburg’s Jasmine Morales said about notching the first win on the new field. “It’s the best feeling ever.”
Morales pitched all seven innings for the Indians, allowing three runs on nine hits, while striking out nine and walking three.
The sophomore got in some trouble early. Sunset’s leadoff hitter, Sophie Pappas, started the game with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sierra McKenna.
Morales also gave up a pair of runs in the fifth inning when Sunset (0-1) got three consecutive hits, including back-to-back RBI singles from Pappas and Keana Cooper.
Outside of those two innings, Morales did a good job of minimizing Sunset’s effectiveness. She pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth and left a runner stranded in scoring position in the seventh.
“I was really nervous. A lot of people were coming out for the opener. The first game on the new field. I just really had to trust in the work I put in,” Morales said. “I was just like ‘you’ve been in this all summer, you just got to lock in.’ Trust my mechanics, trust the work I’ve put in.”
Roseburg (1-0) found ways to rally back and tie the game twice.
Terra Singleton got Roseburg’s first hit of the season on a one-out triple in the third. The sophomore scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Morales to make it a 1-1 game.
The Indians scored twice in the fifth to tie the game at 3-all. Ella Martinez plated a pair of runs on a two-out double to the left field corner.
Sikes led off the seventh inning with a line drive single to center field. Morales followed with a flyball to right field that got lost in the sun, moving Sikes into scoring position.
Ellenwood came through with her clutch hit on the second pitch of her at-bat. The shallow pop-up was just out of the reach of a diving attempt by leftfielder Addilyn Gates.
“I was really excited and super proud of my team for how we played today. Even though we were down, we played hard and came back to win the game,” Ellenwood said. The freshman finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk.
Pappas surrendered the game-winning hit and took the loss in relief of Cooper. The senior gave up six hits, one walk and had one strike out. She allowed three runs, but only one earned.
Cooper struck out eight Roseburg batters over three innings, but walked four.
Roseburg hosts Gresham in a nonleague doubleheader on Friday. Game 1 is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
Sunset;100;020;0;—;3;9;2
Roseburg;001;020;1;—;1;8;0
Cooper, Pappas (4) and S. McKenna; Morales and Martinez. W — Morales (1-0). L — Pappas (0-1). 2B — Martinez (R). 3B — Pappas (S), T. Singleton (R).
