Late rally send Docs to 9-8 win over Grants Pass, on to Day 4 at state tournament

EUGENE — The Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s weren’t ready to end the season just yet.
After trailing much of an elimination game against Grants Pass at the AAA American Legion state tournament, the Docs rallied with three runs in the sixth inning to knock out the Nuggets with a 9-8 win Monday at Swede Johnson Stadium.

Roseburg (25-17-1) has now reached the fourth day of the state tournament for a fourth consecutive season and will try to finally get to the final day of competition with a win over Eugene at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
“We’ve seen Grants Pass multiple times and they’re a good team. So, we knew that we were going to have to fight,” Docs winning pitcher Evan Corbin said. “That was the big talk (Sunday) after the (loss to Portland), just to fight and continue every pitch and that’s what we did.”
The Docs trailed 8-6 going to the bottom of the sixth, but quickly got a run from Paxton Burke. The switch-hitter led off the frame with his second triple of the game and was awarded home when the relay throw went out-of-bounds.
Brooks Avery scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 8-all and Tauj Flora drove in the go-ahead run with a one-out single to left field.
Burke finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Avery was 2-for-3 and reached base in all four plate appearances. Flora and Dane St. Clair also had two hits in the game.
The Docs got all nine runs against Grants Pass starter Logan Zavolta, who allowed 11 hits with four walks in 5 1/3 innings. Zavolta was able to minimize the damage through the first five innings and got plenty of support from his offense.
The Nuggets put up at least one run in each of the first four innings.
Luke Morgan drove in a pair in the first inning and the Nuggets regained the lead in the second on a two-run triple by Ben Morgan and an RBI single by Keller Bloodworth that drove Docs’ starter Brevin Harrison out of the game.
Grants Pass (10-28) had three hits in the third and added a run on a sacrifice fly to pull ahead 6-3. The Nuggets tacked on two more runs in the fourth off of reliever Tristan Ledbetter, who gave way to Evan Corbin in the fourth.
Corbin locked down the Nuggets over the final three innings to keep the door open for the comeback. The fourth-year Docs player retired nine consecutive batters to end the game and secured the win with his fourth strikeout.
“I was just trusting my guys on defense behind me, making great plays like they did all day,” Corbin said. “And the offense, obviously, came in that sixth inning and got those big three runs to win the game. I just had trust that the guys would have my back.”
In the other elimination game Monday, the Mid-Valley Southpaws took out Corvallis 3-0. The Southpaws advance to play another elimination game against the Portland Barbers at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The Barbers lost to Eugene 11-3 in a battle of unbeatens on Monday. The Challengers clinched a spot on the final day of the tournament with the victory.
Grants Pass;231;200;0;—;8;12;4
Roseburg;302;103;X;—;9;12;1
Zavolta, Bloodworth (6) and Elzy; Harrison, Ledbetter (2), Corbin (4) and C. Robbins. W — Corbin (3-4). L — Zavolta. 2B — Carnes (GP), L. Morgan (GP), Robbins (R), Withers (R). 3B — B. Morgan (GP), Burke 2 (R).
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