Docs clinch postseason berth with sweep of Redmond

With just a handful of games left on the regular season schedule, the Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s know it will be playing baseball when the American Legion postseason begins.

The Docs clinched a berth in the postseason with a sweep of the Redmond Generals in an Area 4 doubleheader Wednesday at Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.

Dane St. Clair hit his second RBI single in the sixth inning of the opener to drive home the go-ahead run in a 3-2 win. Colton Siewell got an early lead in the nightcap and tossed a complete game to lead Roseburg to a 4-1 victory.

The sweep gave Roseburg (19-15-1, 11-5 Area 4) a series win against Redmond (19-10, 6-10) and guaranteed the Docs no worse than a third place finish in the Area 4 standings.

“Happy we showed up to the yard, competed and played quality baseball. We scratched and clawed and got two wins and that’s what it’s all about, especially this late in the year,” Dr. Stewart’s coach Eric Savage said.

The Docs will face last-place Klamath Falls for the final Area 4 series of the regular season. Roseburg hosts the Falcons for a doubleheader at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Klamath Falls then hosts the Docs for a twin bill at 5 p.m. Monday at Kiger Stadium.

There’s a chance Roseburg could overtake first place Eugene for the Area 4 title, but the Docs can also secure an automatic berth in the AAA American Legion state tournament if they finish second behind the Challengers.

“Big games coming up,” said St. Clair, who was 3-for-6 against Redmond and drove in three runs in the two games.

“They’re a smart group. They understand what’s in front of them,” Savage said. “We’ve just got to not put as much pressure on ourselves at the plate in some situations and just go out there and play the baseball we’re capable of, and I think things will just take care of themselves.”

The Docs managed to take care of business in the doubleheader with Redmond.

The Generals grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning against Roseburg starter Jake Johnson, but the right-hander settled in and allowed just two more hits over the next four innings and kept Redmond off the scoreboard, leaving the door open for a comeback.

St. Clair got the Docs a run in the third with a two-out single and tied the game at 2-all with another two-out base hit in the fifth.

“We’ve put a lot of time in the cages and I’m seeing it really starting to pay off here,” St. Clair said of the Docs’ late-season offensive swoon.

Redmond was close to keeping it tied in the sixth, but a two-out walk to Tauj Flora led to Paxton Burke driving in the go-ahead run with a single two batters later.

Tristan Ledbetter relieved Johnson in the seventh and pitched a perfect half inning to secure the win and record his first save.

Johnson struck out eight, walked four and allowed five hits over six innings. He earned his team-best sixth win of the season.

Roseburg jumped on Redmond for two runs in the first inning of Game 2 and provided a nice cushion for Siewell.

“That definitely helped,” Siewell said of the early lead. “Felt like momentum was on our side pretty much the whole time.”

Making just his second start of the season, Siewell was dominant for a full seven innings. The Bandon High School graduate scattered five hits and allowed one run, with three strikeouts and no walks. It was the first pitching victory for Siewell, who also has two saves.

“I definitely like starting, but I’ll do whatever the team needs,” Siewell said. “Whether that’s closing or starting, I like both.”

Cal Robbins and Brevin Harrison had back-to-back RBIs in the first inning. Brooks Avery had an RBI triple in the fifth inning that stretched the lead to 3-1 and Avery scored the final run on a single by St. Clair.

Avery saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end in Game 1, but was 3-for-3 in the nightcap. St. Clair stretched his hitting streak to 10 games.

First Game

Redmond;020;000;0;—;2;5;1

Roseburg;001;011;X;—;3;8;0

Dean and Horner; Johnson, Ledbetter (7) and C. Robbins. W — Johnson (6-1). L — Dean. Sv — Ledbetter (1). 2B — Horner (Re), Burke (Ro).

Second Game

Redmond;010;000;0;—;1;5;0

Roseburg;200;020;X;—;4;6;0

Altizer and Horner; Siewell and Hellenthal. W  — Siewell (1-0). L — Altizer. 2B — C. Robbins (Ro). 3B — Avery (Ro).