American Legion Baseball: Roseburg Dr. Stewarts rout Salem Wellcare Dodgers for run-rule victory
By Knight Jarecki
Sutherlin Graduate Tauj Flora went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and runs as the Roseburg Dr. Stewarts trounced the Salem Welcare Dodgers (0-12) 12-2 Saturday morning at Eagle Point High School during Day 3 of the Coach K Memorial Classic.
The game ended in the sixth due to the 10-run mercy rule after Flora drove in Dane St. Clair to push the lead to double digits.
Roseburg (7-8), who lost their first game of the tournament on Friday to Reno, responded strongly in the 1st inning. Teague Sprague had a one-two-three inning in the top half of the inning and the Docs’ offense scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, on four hits, highlighted by a Jake Johnson RBI single.
An inning later, Flora laced a ball down the left field and came in to score a Little League home run that was aided by an error by Salem outfielder Owen Wood.
“Felt like I finally pulled the baseball. It’s kind of something I have been struggling with,” Flora said. “I was able to turn on the baseball, caught a barrel, rounded the bases, and saw the left fielder didn’t know where the ball was. I was about halfway to third and JB (Justin Bennett) was waving me. I was pretty excited, got on my horse, scored and celebrated with the guys.”
A two-out two-RBI single by Salem’s Wilson Herrera cut the lead to one in the top half of the third before Roseburg exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to three errors, several wild pitches and four base hits.
“It was good for them to get some good swings and some runs early,” Head coach Tim Sustaire said.
Roseburg added one more in the fourth and two in the fifth before Flora’s third hit of the game ended things early in the sixth. Umpqua Valley Christian grads Ty Hellenthal and Logan Anderson each finished with two hits. St. Clair finished tied Flora with a team high 2 RBIs. All but one started reached safely in the game for Roseburg.
Teague Sprangue hurled 5 solid innings, allowing two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
“Teagan was good on the mound for us today. Started in the zone, got to stay consistent and challenge the zone a little bit more, but he did more than enough to have an opportunity to win and set us up for some good things at the plate,” Sustaire said.
Anderson pitched a scoreless sixth inning in the sixth facing the minimum. Roseburg’s defense had no errors after a pair of errors cost the Docs the game on Friday against Reno, while Salem finished with five errors that resulted in eight unearned runs.
The Docs are now 3-1 in the tournament and one game under .500 with a chance to go even for the first time this season Sunday against Idaho Falls. “You should feed off a win. We are going to see a great team in Idaho Falls, so we’re going to have to stay on us and try and get some runs across,” Sustaire said.
First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. The game can be heard on the radio at 92.3 FM or 1490 AM. Live video simulcast is available online at 541radio.com.
Salem;002;000;—;2;4;5
Roseburg;215;121;—;12;11;0
Guerin-Knoll, Johnston (2), Webster (4) and Webster, Wood (4). Sprague, Anderson (6) and Hellenthal. W — Sprague. L — Knoll. 2B — Erwin (S), Hellenthal (R), Withers (R), Flora (R). 3B — St. Clair (R).
