American Legion Baseball: Dr. Stewart’s beats Chugiak at Papa’s Pizza Tournament
By Knight Jarecki
SPRINGFIELD — Five hits were all Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s needed against the Chugiak Mustangs, as the Stewies capitalized on seven early walks issued by Mustangs’ starter Cole Lux to win 9-5 at Hamlin Sports Complex in the final day of the Papa’s Pizza Tournament on Sunday.
The Docs (11-13) ended the tournament with a 2-3 record and closed a stretch of 16 games in 12 days to finish 8-8 over the past week and a half.
“It’s good to get in the win column,” Dr. Stewart’s head coach Tim Sustaire said. “We needed that. It’s good for these guys to get back in the win column and for these guys to feel that again, especially as we head towards the most important part of our season towards the end.”
The Docs ended a three-game skid after losses to Spanish Springs, Washington and Portland had Roseburg finish fifth in pool play. Chugiak (16-7-2) wrapped up their trip to the Willamette Valley with a 1-4 record in the tournament.
Despite not recording a hit until two outs in the second, the Docs were able to score five runs without recording a hit before an RBI single by Daniel Withers put a sixth run on the board to make the score 6-1 through two.
Roseburg was running wild, finishing with 10 stolen bases — with more than half coming through the first two frames to manufacture runs.
“We saw something we could take advantage of,” Sustaire said. “Our guys did a good job with their footwork to get to the next bag. 90 feet is a big deal.”
Chugiak scored an unearned run in the top of the third to cut into the Docs’ lead, but a three-run third for the Stewies offensively stretched the lead to seven and was too much for the Mustangs to handle.
Paxton Burke and Tauj Flora had RBI singles in the frame and Ryan Shaver smashed a solo shot to left for his first home run of the season.
“I didn’t really think I got all of it,” Shaver said. “It was pretty cool when I saw the umpire wave his finger around.”
Jake Johnson threw four solid innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out two for the win. Rylee Cheney closed out the final two frames with no runs, two hits and a pair of punch-outs.
The Docs were outhit 8-5 and made four errors defensively, but somehow found a way to squeak out with the four-run victory after a three-run fifth from Chugiak brought the game within four runs.
“We’re going to have to play a lot cleaner baseball against a league opponent this week or it’s not going to our way,” Sustaire said.
Roseburg has a brief two days off before a league doubleheader at home against Grants Pass on Wednesday.
First pitch for the game on Wednesday is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed online at 541Radio.com and can be heard on the radio at 92.3 (FM) or 1490 (AM).
Chugiak;011;030;0;—;5;8;2
Roseburg;243;000;0;—9;5;4
Lux, Newkirk (2) and Millard. Johnson, Anderson (5), Cheney (6) and Robbins, Bowers (6). W — Johnson. L — Lux. 2B — Atkinson (C). 3B — Newkirk (C). HR — Shaver (R).
