Legion Baseball: Docs smack 15 hits, beat Fairfield 12-6 for first win
One week after the American Legion baseball season started for the Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s, the team finally earned its first win of the summer.
The Docs snapped a five-game losing streak with a 12-6 win over the Fairfield Expos in a nonleague matchup Wednesday at Champion Car Wash Field.
Dr. Stewart’s coach Cody Walton said it was a great feeling to finally get the first win of the year. ”
“It’s good to be on the other side of that. Felt like we should have had it a couple of times prior, but it feels great,” Walton said.
Roseburg (1-5) pounded out a season-high 15 hits against three Fairfield pitchers and pulled away late for the comfortable victory. Logan Anderson led the way going 4-for-4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs.
The Docs secured the victory behind a strong relief outing from Greyson Coate. The rising junior at Roseburg High School pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed just two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
“Super proud of that kid,” Walton said about Coate’s performance. “He’s a grinder and he came in there in a tough spot and just filled up the zone and I was super proud to see that. He’s been doing that for us all summer, so he’s earning himself a lot more innings.”
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The Docs jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Fairfield (15-10) starter Ryan Watson.
Paxton Burke led off with a triple to right field and scored on a single by Regan Soper to put the Docs ahead 1-0. Roseburg saw its first eight batters all reach base. Fletcher Coleman, Danner Wertz and Logan Shipman all drove-in runs in the opening frame.
The Expos rallied and scored three runs in the second inning against Shipman, who made his first start on the hill for the Docs. Shipman, a Umpqua Community College commit from Marshfield High School, got a bit wild and issued three consecutive walks and gave up his first run by hitting Javon Hayne with the bases loaded.
Nico Fullen and Gibby Gibson plated runs with singles before the Docs got out of the inning with a double play.
Coleman stretched the Docs’ lead to 5-3 with a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but Fairfield continued to claw its way back into the game.
The Expos scored a run on a wild pitch in the third and took a 6-5 lead in the fourth inning on back-to-back RBI singles by Dylan Eddings and Sage Nelson.
Coate came in for Quinn Gaylor in the fourth inning and did not allow an Expos’ batter to reach scoring position.
With Coate holding it down on the mound, the Docs were able to battle their way back in front. Anderson’s two-out double in the fourth inning tied the game and the Docs took a 7-6 lead on a wild pitch in the fifth.
Roseburg put the game out of reach with five runs in the sixth inning. Anderson, Christian Korba, Wertz and Coate all picked up RBIs.
Korba and Wertz were both 3-for-4 for the Docs. Burke scored three times and had two extra base hits.
Gibson was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI for the Expos.
Up next, the Docs begin play in their Father’s Day Tournament against the Baseballism Wet Sox at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Fairfield;031;200;0;—;6;8;1
Roseburg;410;115;X;—;12;15;0
Watson, Collins (4), Ayers Jr. (5) and Nelson; Shipman, Gaylor (4), Coate (4) and Bowers. W — Coate (1-0). L — Ayers Jr. 2B — Burke (R), Anderson (R). 3B — Burke (R).
