College Baseball: Umpqua splits league-opening doubheader at SWOCC
COOS BAY — The No. 8 Umpqua Riverhawks and Southwestern Oregon Lakers opened league play in the NWAC South Region with a split on Friday at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
Umpqua (5-3, 1-1 South Region) scraped together a pair of runs for a 2-0 victory in the opener and Southwestern Oregon (6-4, 1-1) evened the series with a 5-2 win in the nightcap.
Freshmen Beau Ramsey and Tyler Miller combined to shutout the Lakers in Game 1. Ramsey earned his first collegiate win after tossing five innings and allowing four hits, while walking three and striking out five.
Miller pitched the final four frames in the nine-inning game and got his first save. The Issaquah, Washington native gave up three hits, but also struck out three.
UCC’s offense provided just enough support. Aiden Metzker scored on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Thomsen in the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie. Caden Kuhnert added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch.
Metzker led Umpqua at the plate by going 2-for-3. Porter Strother had a double for the Riverhawks in the ninth that setup the final run.
Douglas County natives Cole Collins and Logan Anderson started for SWOCC. Anderson went 1-for-3 and Collins stole a base after reaching on a walk.
The Lakers built a lead early in Game 2 and held off a late rally by Umpqua.
Southwestern Oregon scored three times against UCC starter Cole Gomez and tacked on a couple of runs late off of reliever Jayden Lucas.
The Riverhawks were trailing 5-1 entering its final at bats, but managed to load the bases and score a run on a groundout by Jack Pierce.
Umpqua was down to its final out but got the bases loaded when Trevor Ratliff drew a hit by pitch. The Lakers made a pitching change and Shinnosuke Sanada closed the game by striking out Metzker with the tying run at first base.
Jeremiah Keithley was 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead SWOCC and Beau Benedictson had a solo home run.
Up next, the Umpqua Riverhawks continue South Region play with a doubleheader against the Linn-Benton Roadrunners starting at noon on Sunday in Albany.
First Game
Umpqua;000;010;01;—;2;6;2
SW Oregon;000;000;00;—;0;7;1
Ramsey, Miller (6) and Robbins; Kabua, Bonner (7) and Long. W — Ramsey (1-0). L — Kabua (1-2). SV — Miller (1). 2B — Strother (UCC).
Second Game
Umpqua;100;000;1;—;2;3;2
SW Oregon;201;011;X;—;5;5;0
Gomez, Lucas (4) and Strother, Allen; Furuhata, James (6), Sanada (7) and Benedictsion. W — Furuhata (). L — Gomez (). SV — Sanada. 2B — Davis (UCC). 3B — Furuhata (SWOCC). HR — Benedictson (SWOCC).
