College Baseball: Umpqua secures series win over SWOCC with split
Umpqua’s Ty Hellenthal pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 2 of a South Region doubleheader against Southwestern Oregon to lead the Riverhawks to a split and an overall series win over the Lakers Saturday afternoon at Champion Car Wash Field.
Southwestern Oregon (13-14, 5-11 South Region) pulled away late for a 10-5 win in the opener, but Hellenthal was able to keep the Lakers in control as the Riverhawks battled to a 1-0 win in the nightcap.
Hellenthal was efficient on the mound and faced just three over the minimum in the complete-game effort. The Lakers had five hits, but Umpqua’s defense helped out with a double-play and by throwing out a runner at third base.
The Riverhawks were busy on defense. Hellenthal had just two strikeouts, both in the first inning. The freshman hurler was able to induce the Lakers into routine fly balls and grounders throughout the contest.
“(Hellenthal) is very consistent with his work and what kind of teammate he is. Every day he brings it and the results show that,” Umpqua coach Jake Whisler said.
Umpqua (16-6, 12-4) scored its winning run in the fifth inning on a two-out single by Jackson Thomsen. The sophomore drove in Taylor Davis, who reached on a walk earlier in the inning.
Thomsen finished with half of UCC’s hits in Game 2, going 2-for-3.
The Riverhawks were down 4-1 after four innings in Game 1, but clawed their way back to within 5-3 going to the sixth.
Jaxson Marble led off the frame with a single to right field and later scored on a throwing error. Jeremiah Robbins also scored in the sixth on a wild pitch to tie the score at 5-5.
The Lakers regained the lead with five runs over the final three innings against UCC reliever Tristan Ledbetter. Kaleb Long drove in a pair in the seventh inning on his fourth hit of the game. Hiroto Horikawa plated three runs in the eighth inning on a two-out double.
“That first game was very frustrating because it was all the controlables for us in that first game that we weren’t meeting the standards of our program,” Whisler said.
Umpqua won four of the six games in the season series against SWOCC, but the Riverhawks dropped one-game behind Linn-Benton for first place in the South Region with the split on Saturday.
UCC will host Linn-Benton for a doubleheader at noon Thursday at Champion Car Wash Field.
First Game
SW Oregon;011;201;230;—;10;11;2
Umpqua;010;022;000;—;5;6;4
Kabua, James (6) and Benedictson, Long; Lucas, Ledbetter (4), Kindreich (9) and Robbins. W — James (2-1). L — Ledbetter (1-2). 2B — Horikawa (SWOCC), Wilson (UCC). 3B — Yazawa (SWOCC).
Second Game
SW Oregon;000;000;0;—;0;5;1
Umpqua;000;010;X;—;1;4;0
Picillo, Bonner (6) and Long; Hellenthal and Allen. W — Hellenthal (3-0). L — Pacillo (1-4).
