College Baseball: Umpqua settles for a split with Chemeketa
The Umpqua Riverhawks got out to a fast start to win the opening game of a South Region doubleheader against Chemeketa on Wednesday at Champion Car Wash Field, but the Storm outlasted the ‘Hawks for an extra-inning victory in the nightcap.
Umpqua (18-10, 14-8 South Region) scored all of its runs in the first two innings of a 5-0 victory in Game 1. Chemeketa (6-26, 5-17) broke a tie ballgame with a pair of runs in the 11th inning of Game 2 and secured a 4-2 win.
The Riverhawks and Storm have split the four games in the series so far. The teams will meet in Salem for the final doubleheader at noon Saturday.
“The goal is to try and win the series,” Umpqua coach Jake Whisler said. “Being able to go up there and have the opportunity to win a series, we have that in front of us Saturday.”
Pitching was once again dominant for the Riverhawks.
Beau Ramsey scattered six hits over seven scoreless innings and earned the win in the opener. The freshman struck out five and walked one.
Hayden Kindreich and Josh Jackson closed out the game with two scoreless frames.
Jaxson Marble got the Riverhawks on the board with a two-out, two-run single in the first. Umpqua stretched the lead to 5-0 in the second inning with two more runs on squeeze bunts and a final run on a sacrifice fly.
The Storm had their chances, but left five runners stranded on base in scoring position.
Chemeketa scored twice against UCC starting pitcher Camden Hartsell in the second inning of Game 2. A passed ball brought home one run and a two-out double by Joe Vaccaro plated another.
The Riverhawks tied the game in the fourth inning. Trevor Ratliff brought home a run on a sacrifice bunt and Noah Kiley tied the game with a two-out single to right field.
The pitching staffs took control over the next six innings as neither offense could push across the go-ahead run.
Hartsell struck out eight over five innings before giving way to Jayden Lucas, who pitched five scoreless innings before the Storm scratched out a pair of runs in the 11th inning to win.
A two-out single by Chase Saunders gave Chemeketa a 4-2 advantage in the 11th. The Riverhawks were unable to answer against Storm reliever Andrew Yost.
Remy Daravivahn started for Chemeketa and went eight innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out six but earned a no-decision.
“We competed on the mound,” Whisler said. “Every guy we threw out there today threw strikes and competed in the strike zone. When runners got on they didn’t back away from it. I was really proud of what they were able to do today on the mound for us.”
The Riverhawks managed just three hits in the nightcap and left 23 runners on base between the twin bill. Whisler said many of his young players were getting overwhelmed by the moments.
“They’re just making it bigger situations than what it needs to be. They really need to start settling down and calming down,” Whisler explained. “And the only way we’re going to be able to do that is to continue to throw them in there and continue to throw them into big situations.”
First Game
Chemeketa;000;000;000;—;0;6;1
Umpqua;230;000;00X;—;5;9;0
Klee, Bolstad (4) and Hooper; Ramsey, Kindreich (8), Jackson (9) and Robbins. W — Ramsey (6-1). L — Klee (1-5). 2B — Hooper (C), Sonne (C), Robbins (U).
Second Game
Chemeketa;020;000;000;02;—;4;6;1
Umpqua;000;200;000;00;—;2;3;2
Daravivahn, Statton (9), Petty (10), Yost (11) and Hooper; Hartsell, Lucas (6) and Allen. W — Petty (1-0). L — Lucas (2-2). SV — Yost (2). 2B — Thomsen (U).
