American Legion Baseball: Docs get ’must-win’ doubleheader sweep against Grants Pass
The regular season is winding down and chances to secure a berth in the American Legion AAA state tournament are running out for Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s. That made Wednesday’s Area 4 doubleheader at home against the Grants Pass Nuggets critical for the Docs and their hopes of an extended season.
Danner Wertz and Ty Hellenthal both went the distance on the mound for Roseburg as the Stewies swept the Nuggets 6-1 and 5-2 at Bill Gray Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.
“A must-win and they found a way to get it done,” Roseburg coach Tim Sustaire said. “It all starts on the mound. They were great. Some things we can clean up behind them still, but a good start to the week.”
The victories moved Roseburg into third place in the Area 4 standings with six league games left to play. The top three teams move on to the postseason, with first and second place earning automatic berths in the state tournament and third place qualifying for a play-in game.
“We knew these last two series with Redmond and Grants Pass were must-wins. You know, we’re fighting for that third seed right now, or hopefully the two seed,” Hellenthal said. “These are have-to-win games. That sweep is good, hopefully we can keep it going.”
Roseburg (13-14, 5-5 Area 4) visits Grants Pass (15-9-2, 2-6) for a doubleheader at 5 p.m. Friday.
Wertz was able to work out of jams in a few innings and held Grants Pass scoreless over the first six innings in the opener. The Nuggets didn’t manage a run until the seventh inning when Kasen Orr hit a two-out single to score Erick Pazqueda to spoil the shutout. Wertz finished with five strikeouts and two walks.
“The goal in the game is just to keep ahead of hitters and keep my pitch count low,” said Wertz, who also gave credit to his teammates. “My defense is always great. They did a good job today.”
The Docs grabbed the lead in the first inning against Nuggets’ starter Jack Matthew. Paxton Burke and Logan Anderson drew walks to start the game and Burke gave the Docs a 1-0 lead when he scored on a wild pitch. Tauj Flora drove in Anderson with a single to right field that put Roseburg in front 2-0.
Matthew issued seven walks and hit two batters in the contest and those struggles came to a head in the third inning when the Stewies loaded the bases on two walks and a base hit. Dane St. Clair stepped into the box with one out and belted a grand slam home run to give Roseburg a 6-0 advantage.
The blast was St. Clair’s second of the season. The Roseburg High School graduate also hit a walk-off slam against Eugene in the Docs’ last home game, eight days prior.
“Last time, we already know what happened,” St. Clair said. “I was just like ‘well, I’m in the same scenario, let’s do it again.’”
Grants Pass built a 2-0 lead early in Game 2 against Hellenthal. Braeden Reese and Jace McGowan started the nightcap a combined 4-for-4 at the top of the lineup. Reese scored in the first on a sacrifice fly by Cole Carnes and again in the third on a sac fly by Cam Holland.
Hellenthal settled in from there and only allowed two more hits the rest of the game, while throwing four scoreless frames to close out the victory. The Umpqua Valley Christian graduate had four strikeouts and two walks.
“Just tried to stay in the zone, give my team a chance with balls in play,” Hellenthal said. “The pitches felt good tonight. I felt like I could locate anything.”
Roseburg tied the game in the third inning. Burke dropped a looping line-drive just inside the foul line in right field for an RBI triple that scored Ryan Shaver and Burke scored the tying-run moments later on a RBI single by Anderson.
The Docs snatched a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning with another pair of runs. A wild pitch plated St. Clair for a 3-2 edge and Jake Johnson scored on a fielder’s choice. Johnson drove-in the final run in the fifth with a two out single against Grants Pass starter Bayden Morris.
Morris lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits with two walks, one hit batter and four strikeouts.
Cal Robbins, St. Clair, Johnson and Shaver all finished with two hits in the game. St. Clair ended the night going 3-for-3 over the two games, with three runs scored, a walk, four RBIs and two stolen bases.
In other Area 4 action on Wednesday, The Redmond SunWest Generals swept a doubleheader against reigning state champion Eugene, 9-3 and 8-2. The Generals (16-6, 3-1) moved into a virtual tie with Medford (26-3, 6-2) for first place in Area 4. The Docs are third, followed by Eugene (35-5, 2-4) and Grants Pass.
The Area 4 regular season wraps up on July 21.
First Game
Grants Pass 000 000 1 — 1 7 1
Roseburg 204 000 X — 6 3 0
Matthew, Pazqueda (6) and Bassett; Wertz and Robbins. W — Wertz (2-0). L — Matthew. 2B — Valenzuela (GP). HR — St. Clair (R).
Second Game
Grants Pass 101 000 0 — 2 7 1
Roseburg 002 210 X — 5 11 1
Morris, Robertson (5) and Bassett; Hellenthal and Bowers. W — Hellenthal (3-0). L — Morris. 2B — Robbins (R). 3B — Burke (R).
