Early lead not enough for Roseburg in 4-3 playoff loss to Grant

The eighth-seeded Roseburg Indians got off to a strong start to begin an OSAA second-round Class 6A playoff baseball game against No. 9 Grant, but the Generals clawed their way back to knock out Roseburg 4-3 on Wednesday at Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.

Grant, the Portland Interscholastic League champion, rallied to score four unanswered runs and punch its ticket to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017. Elliot Raiton drove-in the winning run in the top of the seventh inning with his third hit of the game.

Roseburg, the Southwest Conference champ, busted out of the gates to pull ahead 3-0 in the first inning, but couldn’t muster a hit through the final six frames. The Indians concluded the season with a 18-9 overall record.

Jinki Tomita had a shaky start on the mound for Grant (20-7). The junior walked two batters in the first inning, allowed a run to score on a wild pitch and gave up a double to Danner Wertz that put the Indians ahead 3-0.

Wertz tried stretching his RBI double into a triple, but was thrown out to end the inning. That would be the last hit the Indians had against Tomita. Roseburg managed just four more baserunners either by walks or errors.

The Generals got off to a slow start offensively against Wertz. The freshman gave up a double to Raiton in the first inning, but retired the next eight hitters.

Grant broke through the second time through the lineup in the fourth inning with three consecutive singles to lead off the frame. Diego Martinez Griffin had the third hit that plated two runs.

Wertz remained in the game into the sixth inning. A single by Martinez Griffin and a walk to Grant Snidow sent Roseburg to the bullpen. Dane St. Clair took over on the mound, but issued a walk to load the bases and Tre Hoffert hit a grounder to short that was misplayed allowing the game-tying run to score.

St. Clair got out of the sixth inning, but walked the first batter in the seventh to put the winning runner aboard. Rylee Cheney took over and immediately faced the hot-hitting Raiton, who belted a ball to deep center field that was out of reach for St. Clair and brought home the go-ahead score.

Raiton finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run. Martinez Griffin had two hits and added two RBIs for the Generals.

Tomita went six innings allowing three runs on two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. He gave way to Kaeden Cruse, who pitched a perfect seventh inning to earn the save and put Grant into the quarterfinals where it will face top-seeded South Salem Friday.

The Indians will graduate five seniors — Dane St. Clair, Kaden Austin, Zeb Johnson, Luke Robbins and Southwest Conference Player of the Year Jake Johnson.

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Roseburg;300;000;0;—;3;2;1

Tomita, Cruse (7) and McCarthy; Wertz, St. Clair (6), Cheney (7) and Bowers. W — Tomita. L — St. Clair (0-2). SV — Cruse. 2B — Raiton (G), Wertz (R).