College Baseball: Umpqua sweeps Mt. Hood with a pair of walk-offs
The Umpqua Riverhawks brought the excitement with a pair of walk-off victories to sweep the visiting Mt. Hood Saints in a South Region doubleheader Saturday at Bill Gray Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.
Caden Kuhnert scored on a squeeze bunt by Aiden Metzker to give the Riverhawks a 2-1 comeback victory in the opener and Jaxson Marble’s RBI single in extra innings ended the nightcap with a 1-0 score in favor of UCC.
“Today was all about grit,” Umpqua coach Jake Whisler said. “Once again, another tough day offensively. We’re still trying to figure that piece out, but to be able to be in a game and to be able to win both games on a walk off, I mean, that’s good for our fans, that’s good for our players. And once again, it’s just really tough to win in this league, and so to win two at home and have a 4-0 week at home, I mean, that’s really big for us.”
The victories kept Umpqua (12-4, 8-2 South Region) in first place. The Riverhawks hold a one-game lead over Lane and Linn-Benton after the two teams split a doubleheader Saturday.
Freshmen came up big for Umpqua in both games.
Tauj Flora recorded his first collegiate hit in the third inning of Game 1. The base knock scored the game-tying run for UCC after Mt. Hood had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out single by Cade Wynn.
Jayden Lucas, a freshman from Junction City, relieved starting pitcher Cole Gomez in the fourth inning and kept the Riverhawks tied with the Saints. He tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings to get the win, allowing just three hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
“He’s been lights out,” Whisler said about Lucas, who has been asked to come in and pitch in a number of tight situations. “It’s great to see him grow and continue to do what he’s been doing.”
UCC squandered a number of scoring chances, but got their best opportunity in the final frame of a scheduled nine-inning contest. Triston Wallace led off with a double and Kuhnert came on as a pinch runner. Jeremiah Robbins moved Kuhnert to third with a sacrifice bunt and Metzker followed with his walk-off bunt down the first base line.
Wallace finished the game 3-for-3 and reached base four times. Mt. Hood (8-6, 3-5) was led by Wynn, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
HIGHLIGHTS: @Umpqua_Baseball sweeps Mt. Hood with a couple of walkoffs
GM1: Tauj Flora’s 1st college hit ties it up
GM1: A double play keeps the game tied
GM1: @aidenmetzker brings in the game-winner
GM2: @jaxonmarble drives in the game-winner@PNW_CBR #GoRiverhawks pic.twitter.com/LUTvDYtFL4
— Joey Keeran (@joeykeeran) March 15, 2026
Game 2 saw two more freshmen make their mark on the Riverhawks’ season.
Ty Hellenthal tossed eight scoreless innings and allowed just three hits as he picked up his second win of the year in his first collegiate start. The former Umpqua Valley Christian standout struck out two batters and relied on his defense to help get through the contest.
“I knew the defense had my back out there. I just tried to fill up the zone. They got a lot of opportunities, and they came up every time,” Hellenthal said. “I’m blessed to have the defense I have, and it went our way today.”
“He’s one of the most consistent players we’ve really had in our program. So when he went out there today, just because it was his first start, that didn’t really mean anything. We knew what we were going to get out of him,” Whisler said.
The Riverhawks struggled to support Hellenthal’s performance and left nine men on base, including four in scoring position.
Things turned in Umpqua’s favor once the scheduled seven-inning game went to extra innings. A one-out single by Trevor Ratliff got a man aboard and he moved into scoring position when a pickoff throw got away at first.
Two batters later, Marble stepped up with two outs and smacked his first college hit into right field to put the game on ice.
“I was excited,” Marble said. “I was having fun and just wanted to play baseball. And I felt like I was prepared for the moment, and when it came, I was ready to go,” Marble said.
Ratliff was 2-for-4 and Marble reached base three times to lead UCC at the plate.
Umpqua will continue league play with a doubleheader against Lane at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Eugene.
First Game
Mt. Hood;100;000;000;—;1;5;1
Umpqua;001;000;001;—;2;6;0
McKormick, Leo (7) and Allen; Gomez, Lucas (4) and Robbins. W — Lucas (2-0). L — Leo (2-2). 2B — Wallace (UCC).
Second Game
Mt. Hood;000;000;00;—;0;3;1
Umpqua;000;000;01;—;1;7;2
Jackson, Green (4), Sievertsen (6) and Allen, Kumagami; Hellenthal and Allen. W — Hellenthal (2-0). L — Sievertsen (0-2). 2B — Kiley (UCC).
