SPORTS
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015
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By GARY HENLEY
The Daily Astorian
they made us play well,”
Knappa coach Jeff Miller
said of the Rangers. “Two
good teams had a good high
school baseball game. In mo-
ments, they brought out the
best in us. Hats off to coach
(C.S.) Little and their se-
niors.”
Meanwhile, Knappa’s key
plays and key hits came from
the Logger seniors.
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hit, a two-run single in the
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nard had an RBI single in
the second, scoring freshman
Dale Takalo.
Dragoo — who had two
triples and a home run in
a playoff win earlier in the
week — had an RBI double
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Miller.
But the two biggest plays
of the game may have been
miscues by the Dufur de-
fense.
After Jason Miller drew
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Andy Miller followed with
a grounder to shortstop. The
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the Rangers couldn’t make
the tailor-made double play,
as the toss from Dufur’s
shortstop to second base
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ting Jason Miller at third and
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Dragoo followed with his
run-scoring double, and after
an out, Knappa’s Nate Truax
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er dropped the ball, allowing
two more runs to score.
Two errors, three runs,
and the Loggers had a 6-3
lead.
“Obviously a game-chang-
er there,” Jeff Miller said.
“They had the double play,
but nothing’s a given. It’s high
KNAPPA — In Oregon
2A high school sports, it’s
pretty much the same cast of
characters in the Final Four,
every season, in every sport.
Knappa, Monroe, Regis,
2A newcomer Burns … those
four schools just have a way
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nals, no matter the season.
Monroe is the defend-
ing state champ in baseball;
Burns won the title in foot-
ball; Regis showed up in the
Final Four in both football
and basketball; and Knappa
is a state playoff regular in
everything.
When it comes to base-
ball, the Loggers have a life-
time pass to the Final Four.
They’ve been there three
of the last four years, they’re
back again, and they’ll be
there next year.
With a 6-4 victory over
Dufur Friday at Teevin Field,
the Loggers clinched their
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Photos by JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian
Justin Dragoo drove in
Knappa’s Justin Dragoo, No. 3, hits a RBI double in the fifth inning of the playoff game against Dufur Friday at Knappa.
three runs and Dufur com-
mitted two huge errors in the
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nated the Rangers.
ited the big innings,” Miller
On the mound, Logger
said. “They had a couple
starter Chase Rusinovich
chances at big innings and we
pitched six solid innings, al-
were able to stop the bleeding
lowing four hits with four
in those innings.
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“Chase stayed out there
“It wasn’t my best out-
and gave us six strong in-
ing,” Rusinovich said. “I got
nings. He left with a two-run
a little rattled and wasn’t as
lead, and that’s what we ask
accurate as I’d like, but I
for. Aces are big in big mo-
battled back and we got ’er
ments, and that’s what he was
done.”
today.”
And now there’s only
The Loggers also realize
two games left for Class 2A
that it’s no longer the league
baseball to come up with a
season, when they can score
team that can beat Knappa. It
at will and take turns throw-
hasn’t been done, yet.
ing no-hitters.
With Friday’s win, the
“We were under pressure,
Loggers
are
and our kids re-
now 25-0 and
sponded,” Mill-
the only un-
er said. “That’s
beaten team in ‘Chase stayed out there a great sign for a
Oregon high
that hasn’t
and gave us six strong team
school base-
had a lot of pres- Knappa’s Dave Takalo, No. 5, is late to tag Dufur’s Trever Tibbets during a pick-off attempt
in the fifth inning of their playoff game.
ball.
this year.
innings...Aces are big sure “This
Regis will
is the
visit Knappa
third time in the by Michael Hults.
in big moments,
Tuesday, with
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Zachery Morris got the
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seniors, so even if win in relief for Hidden Val-
and that’s what
scheduled for
they haven’t been ley, despite allowing six runs
he was today.’
4:30 p.m.
challenged
too RYHU¿YHDQGDWKLUGLQQLQJV
The Log-
many times this He gave up 11 hits with two
— Jeff Miller
gers are clos-
year, they’ve been strikeouts.
Knappa baseball coach
ing in on their
there,” he said.
Fridtjof Fremstad and
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“And in our two Bronson Holthusen had RBI
2010 to Volca-
playoff games, our hits for Astoria in the sixth
noes Stadium, where Tues- school baseball. We missed seniors have come up huge.” inning rally, along with a
day’s winner will face either opportunities today, and they
two-run double from Cade
(guess who?) Burns or Mon- missed opportunities.”
Hidden Valley 12,
O’Brien.
roe in the state championship
Rusinovich walked two
Astoria 10
O’Brien had another two-
Friday.
and gave up a hit in the sixth
GRANTS PASS — The run double in the seventh,
It would be hard to imag- inning, when the Rangers Astoria baseball team nearly before Norberg was able to
ine Knappa not being there. loaded the bases with one RYHUFDPHDQGH¿FLW)UL- VWULNHRXWWKH¿QDOEDWWHUDQG
Knappa’s Chase Rusinovich, No. 10, pitches in the sec-
The Loggers are playing out.
day, but Hidden Valley ulti- tying run.
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On a trip to the mound, mately came away with a 12-
Fremstad had a triple in ond inning of the playoff game against Dufur.
the deepest pitching staff, and Miller told Rusinovich, “just 10 win over the Fishermen in the third inning and dou-
the Loggers have yet to face a to be an ace. We know he’s a D&ODVV$TXDUWHU¿QDO
bled in the sixth. He fin-
pitcher who can slow their 14 good pitcher, but it’s in mo-
The Mustangs scored nine ished 3-for-3 with two runs
runs-per-game attack.
ments like these where you runs in the third inning to scored, and O’Brien was
Although the Rangers become an ace, and he is.”
grab the nine-run lead, before 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
came close Friday.
Rusinovich gave up one Astoria rallied with four runs
Three Astoria pitchers
Starter Trever Tibbets UXQRQD¿HOGHU¶VFKRLFHEXW in the sixth inning and four in allowed 19 hits with one
and reliever Bryson Cald- he was able to get Connor the seventh.
strikeout and no walks.
well held Knappa to just six 8KDOGHWRÀ\RXWWRFHQWHUWR
Six Hidden Valley hitters
runs on seven hits — almost end the threat.
combined for 16 hits, 11
Knappa’s Dale Takalo,
unheard of numbers for the
Burnard pitched the sev- RBIs and eight runs scored.
No. 5, tags out Dufur’s
Loggers, who had scored enth to get the save, striking
The nine-run rally in the
Nick Little in the
over 10 runs in 22 of their out two.
third was highlighted by an
fourth inning of their
previous 23 games.
Rusinovich “made pitches RBI double from Jarid Nor-
playoff game.
“They’re a great team, when he had to, and we lim- berg and a three-run homer
SCOREBOARD
BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOLS
Class 4A Quarterfinal
Hidden Valley 12, Astoria 10
Astoria
002 004 4—10 13 2
H.Valley
110 901 x—12 19 1
Wallace, Fremstad (3), Brown (6)
and Helmersen; Morris, Hults (6),
Norberg (7) and Bennett. W: Morris.
L: Fremstad. S: Norberg. RBI: Ast,
O’Brien 4, Fremstad 2, Helmersen,
Holthusen, Scott; HV: Hults 4, Nor-
berg 2, Fretz 2, Munoz 2, Bennett,
Kissell. 2B: Ast, O’Brien 2, Scott 2,
Tuimato, Fremstad; HV, Bennett 2,
Norberg. 3B: Ast, Fremstad; HV:
Morris, Munoz. HR: HV, Hults. LOB:
Astoria 7, Hidden Valley 8. DP: Hid-
den Valley.
Class 2A Quarterfinal
Knappa 6, Dufur 4
Dufur
002 011 0—4 5 3
Knappa
210 030 x—6 7 1
Tibbets, Caldwell (3) and Kortge;
Rusinovich, Burnard (7) and Truax.
W: Rusinovich. L: Caldwell. S: Bur-
nard. RBI: Duf, Tibbets 2, Kortge,
Crawford; Kna, J.Dragoo 3, Bur-
nard. 2B: Duf, Kortge; Kna, J.Dra-
goo. HBP: Duf, Uhalde, Little; Kna,
Cruz. LOB: Dufur 6, Knappa 5. DP:
Knappa.
Scores
2A Quarterfinals
Monroe 6, Pilot Rock 2
Burns 8, Reedsport 6
Regis 25, North Douglas 2
Knappa 6, Dufur 4
3A Quarterfinals
Cascade Christian 9, Stanfield 6
Glide 3, Horizon Christian 1
Clatskanie 6, Rainier 2
Santiam Christian 5, St. Mary’s 1
4A Quarterfinals
Henley 6, North Bend 0
Hidden Valley 12, Astoria 10
Gladstone 15, North Marion 8
Scappoose 13, Molalla 2
SOFTBALL
HIGH SCHOOLS
Class 2A Quarterfinal
Pilot Rock 1, Knappa 0
Knappa
000 000 0—0 8 3
Pilot Rock 000 000 1—1 3 0
W: Tehya Ostrom (9 K’s, 0 walks).
L: Kacie Cameron (10 K’s, 3 walks).
Scores
4A Quarterfinals
Banks 4, Scappoose 1
Mazama 5, Newport 4
Yamhill-Carlton 4, Henley 1
McLoughlin 4, Douglas 0
3A Quarterfinals
Dayton 12, Echo/Stanfield 2
Pleasant Hill 1, Taft 0
Scio 12, Vale 0
Rainier 2, Harrisburg 1
2A Quarterfinals
Union/Cove 3, North Douglas 0
Weston-McEwen 7, Bonanza 3
Pilot Rock 1, Knappa 0
Central Linn 8, Gold Beach 1
Lady Loggers lose a heartbreaker
Bekkah Roe started with a
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PILOT ROCK — When
and moved to third on an er-
you lead the state in runs
ror, but was left stranded.
scored and haven’t lost in 23
For six innings, Camer-
games, any loss is going to be
on and Ostrom traded barbs.
— James Nichols
a disappointment.
A couple times Knappa had
Knappa softball coach
runners on, including the bas-
That’s what the Knap-
es-loaded jam in the fourth,
pa Lady Loggers were feel-
ing Friday afternoon at Pilot tion to take control in the top as good as they are,” he said. but both pitchers found ways
Rock, where the Rockets of the fourth, as they had three “Kacie had a good game — to get outs.
After an out to start the
managed to upset the Log- straight hits with just one out. we just couldn’t get the hits
bottom of the seventh, Wil-
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But Ostrom knocked down behind her.”
since March 24.
a hard-hit comebacker to get
Pilot Rock coach Darin son singled on a blooper up
Scoreless through 6 1/2 DQRXWDWKRPHWKHQ¿HOGHGD Fitzpatrick said, “I knew we the third base line that Cam-
innings, Pilot Rock’s Bailey grounder back to the circle for ZHUH JRLQJ WR KDYH WR ¿QG eron tried to snag with a dive,
Weinke walked with the bas- WKH¿QDORXW
a way to manufacture runs. but was just late and the ball
es loaded in the bottom of the
Pilot Rock improves to 24- They have a really good pitch- bounced off her glove into
seventh, forcing in Jacey Wil- 2, while the season comes to a er (Cameron) and, sadly, we foul territory, providing ample
son with the game’s only run. close for Knappa at 24-4.
haven’t seen good pitching WLPHIRU:LOVRQWRUHDFK¿UVW
Kayla Deist was safe on a
Pilot Rock sophomore
“We had 24 wins and only since the Athena game a cou-
pitcher Tehya Ostrom allowed four losses, so I’m not going ple weeks ago. So I knew it bunt single. Rhyanne Oates
reached on an error to load
eight hits with nine strikeouts to complain,” said Knappa was going to be tough.”
and no walks, while Knappa coach James Nichols. “I feel
Most of it had to do with the bases with two outs,
senior Kacie Cameron coun- sorry for our seniors, who Cameron. The Rockets had bringing Weinke to the plate,
tered with a three-hitter, with gave a lot over the last three seen Cameron before, both DQGWKHVHQLRUZDONHGRQ¿YH
10 strikeouts and three walks. or four years.
this season and last, so they pitches.
Sam Barbee of EO Me-
Two of Pilot Rock’s hits
“We had two losses to (the knew what they were up
came in the seventh inning.
Rockets) this year by a com- against. But that didn’t help dia Group contributed to this
The Loggers were in posi- bined 4-1, so I know we’re much. Rocket leadoff batter story
The Daily Astorian
‘We had 24 wins and
only four losses, so I’m
not going to complain.’