Newcomer Cal Robbins sends Docs to 8-7 walk-off win over MId-Valley in opener
It came about a month early, but the Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s started the American Legion baseball season with fireworks on Saturday at Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.
First-year Docs player Cal Robbins capped a three-hit debut with a single that drove in two runs and gave Roseburg an 8-7 win over the visiting Mid-Valley Southpaws.
“It feels really good,” Robbins said. The rising sophomore-to-be at Douglas High School added, “I practice a lot, so I’m very confident in myself and the way I perform and the way I go about myself.”
The youngest player on the roster, Robbins continued to say “it was really cool. It was like a dream ever since I came (to Douglas County) in 2018.”
It was the season opener for the Docs (1-0) and Mid-Valley (0-1).
“Oh man, it was a good day,” Dr. Stewart’s coach Eric Savage said. “Whether we ended up with the win or not, I was pleased with a number of different things.
“We competed. We were committed to get the win and we were committed to each other until the end. It’s a great feeling and a great starting point. It’s something to build off of. ”
Robbins was 3-for-5 with three RBIs batting in the cleanup position. He had Roseburg’s first hit of the season with a first inning double that scored Dane St. Clair to tie the game at 1-all.
The teams traded the lead during the middle innings. Mid-Valley grabbed its largest lead in a four-run sixth inning.
Zach Lyon and Drew Rice hit doubles and the Southpaws built a 6-3 lead behind four hits and a throwing error.
Roseburg trailed 7-5 heading to the home half of the ninth. Brooks Avery was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out and Jake Johnson followed with another hit by pitch to bring in one run.
Reliever Rylan Matheisen got Ty Hellenthal to pop out to shortstop for the second out, but his first pitch to Robbins was pulled through the hole on the left side of the diamond to plate Logan Anderson and Avery.
“I can’t be anymore pleased,” Savage said about Robbins’ debut performance. “I had some hesitation about moving him up because of his age, but every day in practice he’s gotten better.
“Whether I was asking him to do something defensively, or putting him in pressure situations. He’s gotten better. So, today when writing up the lineup I put him right in the four-hole,” Savage added.
Johnson got the win in relief for Roseburg. He didn’t allow a run over the final 2 2/3 innings and allowed just one hit.
Starting pitchers Drew Camp and Drew Rice didn’t factor into the decision. Camp had a strong start, allowing two runs on three hits over five innings with 10 strikeouts.
Anderson and Brevin Harrison also had three hits in the game for the Docs.
Roseburg will host the Portland Barbers in a nonleague doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Mid-Valley;100;014;100;—;7;9;2
Roseburg;100;021;103;—;8;12;2
Rice, Starr (5), Matheisen (8) and Jenkins, Thompson, Cummings; Camp, St. Clair (6), Johnson (7) and L. Robbins, C. Robbins. W — Johnson (1-0). L — Matheisen (0-1). 2B — Rice (MV), Lyon (MV), C. Robbins (R), Harrison (R).
