Prep Baseball: Burke’s walkoff triple leads Roseburg to a split with No. 1 South Salem
A two-out triple by Roseburg’s Paxton Burke scored two runs and sent the Indians to a 4-3 walkoff win over visiting South Salem in Game 1 of a nonleague doubleheader Wednesday at Champion Car Wash Field.
The Saxons bounced-back for a 16-0 win in the nightcap to earn a split with the Indians.
Roseburg (3-3) was wrapping up a tough stretch of the season, playing four-games over three days against top-contenders at the Class 6A level. Burke’s walk-off hit was the bright spot as the Indians lost 3 of the 4 games over spring break.
“We came out flat in the second game, but the first game was picture perfect,” Burke said. “That’s all we needed, was just kids that continued to be rallied up and ready to go.”
South Salem (2-2), the No.1-ranked team in the OSAA preseason coaches poll, grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the second inning against Roseburg starter Fletcher Coleman. Logan Scott had an RBI single to right field for the first of his two hits.
The Saxons added two more runs in the third inning on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly by Ben Greer.
Coleman allowed four hits and three runs over five innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts. Logan Scott and his twin brother Teagan Scott both had two hits against Coleman.
Ryland Glasser relieved Coleman in the sixth and finished the game with two scoreless frames that helped keep the game within reach for the Tribe. Glasser walked a pair and struck out one, but did not allow a hit.
Roseburg notched its first run in the sixth on a two-out single by Coleman that scored Burke. The run was the only blemish on the day for South Salem starter Harrison Buckingham, who gave up two hits over six innings with four walks and eight strikeouts.
The Saxons went to the bullpen in the seventh inning and brought in Blake Kansky with a 3-1 lead.
AJ Black drew a one-out walk and moved into scoring position on a ground out. Mason Young smacked a two-out single to right field that brought Black around to score and got the Indians within 3-2.
Glasser followed with a walk to get the game-winning run on base and set up Burke for his game-ending heroics. Burke’s flyball sailed down the left field line just barely in fair territory and found its way past a diving attempt by Logan Scott. The ball continued all the way to the fence allowing plenty of time for Glasser to score from first and earn the Indians the win.
View this post on Instagram
“We’re always finding ways to be scrappy,” Burke said. “That’s the best team in the state and (Tuesday’s game against Jesuit) was probably not our greatest, and we needed to come out with a fire under our butts and that’s what we did.”
Burke finished the game with two of Roseburg’s four hits.
The excitement might have left Roseburg in a stupor for Game 2. The Saxons piled up 11 hits on the way to a 16-0 win in five innings.
Teagan Scott hit a grand slam and Sawyer Nelson had a two-run home run to highlight a 10-run fourth inning for the Saxons.
Kellen Bowman earned the win and did not allow a hit to Roseburg over five innings. He finished with six strikeouts and would have thrown a perfect game if not for a fielding error by Nelson in the fifth.
Roseburg has the remainder of spring break off and will resume play Tuesday against Grants Pass in the league-opener for both teams. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at Champion Car Wash Field.
First Game
South Salem;012;000;0;—;3;4;0
Roseburg;000;001;3;—;4;4;0
Buckingham, Kansky (7) and T. Scott; Coleman, Glasser (6) and Bowers. W — Glasser (1-0). L — Kansky. 2B — T. Scott (S.S.). 3B — Burke (R).
Second Game
South Salem;330;(10)0;—;16;11;1
Roseburg;000;00;—;0;0;4
Bowman and T. Scott; Cheney, Glasser (4), Coate (4), Popken (5) and Young. W — Bowman. L — Cheney (0-1). 2B — T. Scott (S.S.). HR — T. Scott (S.S.), Nelson (S.S.).
