SPORTS 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015 UNDEFEATED: 27-0 Continued from Page 1A and knocking on the door, and obviously they’re excited and felt that they would get this mo- ment.” Knappa senior Justin Dra- goo — a player of few words ²VDLG¿QDOO\ZLQQLQJDVWDWH championship was “surreal. &DQ¶WEHOLHYHLW*ODG,¿QDOO\ got one.” ‘Ready to go’ The Dragons may have been the favorites on paper, but everyone could see a Logger victory coming right down In- terstate 5. Knappa got off the bus at Volcanoes Stadium carrying a 26-0 overall record, which in- cluded a win over Monroe the ¿UVWZHHNRIWKHVHDVRQ The Loggers have been playing great defense, their pitchers were well-rested, and the Knappa players were “excited for the opportunity,” Miller said shortly before the contest. “They’ve put in a lot of work, and they feel like they belong here. I think there’s a good edge, a good looseness to them. They’re excited and ready to go.” Once the game started, the boys from the North Coast withstood the nearly 90-degree heat of the Willamette Valley. The players from Monroe did not. While the Loggers made all the routine plays, the Dragons suffered a defensive meltdown. Monroe’s ace pitcher, Aus- tin Crowson, allowed just six hits with six strikeouts. But ev- HU\SRSXSÀ\EDOODQGJURXQG ball was an adventure for the defending champions, who turned a few nice plays, but booted some even bigger ones. The Dragons set the tone on the second batter of the game, when Knappa’s Jason Mill- HU UHDFKHG RQ D ¿HOGLQJ HUURU The next batter — older broth- er Andy Miller — launched D WRZHULQJ À\ EDOO WR ULJKW ZKHUH WKH 0RQURH RXW¿HOGHU lost the ball in the sun. Andy Miller ended up on third, but his brother was thrown out at the plate, and the Dragons eventually got out of the inning. After scoreless second and third innings, the Monroe miscues turned up again in the fourth. $QG\ 0LOOHU¶V URXWLQH À\ ball to left was dropped by the 'UDJRQ RXW¿HOGHU DOORZLQJ Miller to reach second; Dra- goo drew an intentional walk; and Noah Kinney reached on DGURSSHGÀ\EDOOWRFHQWHUWR load the bases. Nate Truax drove in the ¿UVWUXQZLWKDQLQ¿HOGVLQJOH which the Dragons also mis- SOD\HG E\ QRW FRYHULQJ ¿UVW base. $IWHU D À\ RXW 0RQURH catcher Tielar Murray turned in the defensive play of the game. The Loggers missed an attempted squeeze bunt, and Murray was able to run down Dragoo as he was headed back to third, then tagged Kinney out trying to reach third for an unassisted double play. “We had the right guy (Dale Takalo) there, and we’d do it again,” coach Miller said. “He’s a great player, he missed it, and you have to move on. And we did. Our kids rolled with those early punches really well.” The Dragons, however, did not roll very well. Austin Dragoo was hit by DSLWFKWROHDGRIIWKH¿IWKLQ- ning and took second on a wild pitch; Tyson Burnard had a RQHRXWVLQJOHWROHIW¿HOGDQG Dragoo scored moments later on a wild pitch. After a walk to Jason Mill- HU$QG\0LOOHUVHQWDÀ\EDOO to center, which was caught by Kyle Bateman, but deep enough for Burnard to tag and score. That was all the runs the Loggers could score, but it was plenty for Rusinovich. “As soon as we scored our second run, we knew it was ours,” Justin Dragoo said. “I knew it was ours. Chase is go- ing to shut ‘em down and Ty- VRQZLOO¿QLVKLW´ Coach Miller said, “With Crowson on the other side, \RX¶UHKRSLQJWRVFRUH¿YHRU six runs, but realistically we JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Knappa’s Tyson Burnard, center, celebrates with Chase Rusinovich, No. 10, and Dale Takalo, No. 5, after winning the 2A Baseball State Championship at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer on Friday. SCOREBOARD BASEBALL HIGH SCHOOLS 2A State Championship Knappa 3, Monroe 0 Knappa 000 120 0—3 6 0 Monroe 000 000 0—0 3 5 Rusinovich, Burnard (7) and Truax; Crowson and Murray. Win: Rusinovich. Loss: Crow- son. Save: Burnard. RBI: Kna, Truax, A.Miller. 3B: Kna, A.Mill- er, Burnard. SF: Kna, A.Miller. SB: Kna, Burnard, J.Dragoo. CS: Kna, J.Dragoo, Kinney. E: Monroe, Sherman 2, K.Bal- lard, Bateman. LOB: Knappa 7, Monroe 6. WP: Mon, Crowson 2. HBP: Kna, A.Dragoo; Mon, A.Crowson, Gwillim. DP: Knap- pa. Monroe 2. Umpires—HP: Dan Clements. 1B: Rob Sellars, Sr. 3B: Tony Gabirelson. Start: 1:32 p.m. Time: 1 hour, 56 minutes. Moda Health Players of the Game: Chase Rusinovich, Knappa; Kyle Bateman, Monroe. JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Knappa hoists the first-place trophy after winning the OSAA 2A Baseball State Championship at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer on Friday. Knappa beat Monroe 3-0. View more photos online at www.dailyastorian.com JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Knappa’s Jason Miller, No. 33, rounds second in the first inning against Monroe during the 2A Baseball State Championship at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer on Friday. Knappa’s Chase Rusinovich, No. 10, pitches in the sixth inning against Monroe during the 2A Baseball State Championship at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer on Friday. thought we better keep (Mon- roe) under three today. “Chase stood tall and did that for us. We let ‘em off the hook a few times, but with the way our pitchers were throw- ing today, that three-run lead felt pretty good.” IRU WKH ¿UVW RXW DQG FDWFKHU 1DWH7UXD[WRVVHGLWWR¿UVWIRU the double play. Threat over. “It’s a 21-out game, and the last three always seem to be tough,” Miller said. “Ty did a great job. He doesn’t feel the pressure. He just gets more ex- cited and more of a ‘bulldog’ type attitude, the tighter and bigger the moments are. It’s that kind of an attitude that al- lows a team to achieve at this level.” All season, Knappa’s strat- egy of starting Rusinovich and ¿QLVKLQJZLWK%XUQDUGSURYHG unbeatable. “That’s how we started out against Regis,” Burnard said. “Chase builds it up, then I FRPHLQIRUWKH¿QLVK,WZRUNV a lot better because my arm doesn’t have the stamina that Chase does.” Andy Miller said, “Chase was on his game today. His pitches had a lot of movement, and his curve ball was breaking good.” Burnard and Truax had two hits apiece to lead Knap- weren’t able to really touch the curve ball, and the outside fast- ball, they couldn’t touch that either.” Defensively, the Dragons FRPPLWWHG¿YHHUURUV “I always feel that the team batting has a little bit to do with that,” Jeff Miller said. “I also &RQ¿GHQW think (the Dragons) are not from the get-go used to that many balls coming Rusinovich struck out 11 into play when (Crowson) is batters in six-plus innings, on the mound. So if you have allowing two hits, with two DIDVWKDUGLQ¿HOGOLNHWKLVDQG walks and two hit batters. you put the ball in play hard, ³, IHOW FRQ¿GHQW IURP WKH good things happen. Make a get-go, but once we scored a team make decisions under few, it really took some pres- pressure, and in high school sure off,” Rusinovich said. baseball, good things are going “I had all my pitches work- to happen.” ing,” he added. “Warming up, I Some good things almost knew it was going to be a good happened for the Dragons in day. I had good control and my the bottom of the seventh. breaking ball was working. My Monroe opened with a hit arm felt great, and it was easy batter, a walk and a single by to keep my pitch count low. Bateman to load the bases. The heat wasn’t a problem at Burnard came on in relief of all. It actually made me pitch Rusinovich, and later called the better.” bases-loaded, no-outs situation Rusinovich said, “My “very nerve-wracking,” until strikeout pitch was my curve pinch-hitter Tyson Horning de- ball today. I was keeping them livered a weak grounder back off-balance pretty well. They to Burnard, who threw home pa, while Justin Dragoo was walked intentionally twice. “Everybody says it’s a good thing, but I don’t like it,” Dra- goo said. “I like to hit. I guess it’s respect.” Defensively, the Loggers committed no errors behind Rusinovich. “I’ve said all year, this is as good a defensive squad as we’ve had,” coach Miller said. “It’s what our recipe has been this year — good defense, good pitching, put the ball in the play, and good things will happen.” ‘It’s awesome’ Once the championship trophy and medals had been presented in the post-game ceremony, senior Andy Miller stated, “It’s awesome. I can’t believe it’s my last game al- ready.” Miller’s past includes watching the Loggers play in state championship games (“When I was watching that 2010 game, I thought it would be awesome to experi- ence that”), but also an inju- State Championship Scores 6A-Sheldon 2, West Linn 1 5A-Hood River Valley 2, Lib- erty 0 4A-Scappoose 11, Henley 6 3A-Santiam Christian 3, Glide 0 2A/1A-Knappa 3, Monroe 0 Clatsop County Baseball State Champions Year: Team, Coach 1957: Seaside (A-2) Baily Brim 1960: Seaside (A-2) Everet Clary 1972: Seaside (AA) Jim Auld 1994: Warrenton (2A/1A) Len- nie Wolfe 2006: Astoria (3A) Dave Gas- ser 2009: Astoria (4A) Dave Gas- ser 2010: Knappa (2A/1A) Jeff Miller 2011: Astoria (4A) Brian Bab- bitt 2015: Knappa (2A/1A) Jeff Miller SOFTBALL State Championship Scores 6A-Tualatin 10, Westview 0 5A-Putnam 3, Pendleton 2 4A-McLoughlin 4, Banks 0 3A-Dayton 5, Rainier 1 2A/1A-Pilot Rock 2, Weston-McEwen 1 ry-plagued high school career which forced him out of foot- ball and to miss part of or en- tire seasons in basketball and baseball. It’s been a long road, Mill- er said, “but this makes it all worth it.” Despite not facing much competition during league play, and despite not having a summer team last year, the Loggers were clearly the best team at the 2A/1A level. Knappa could very well be back in Keizer next year, the ¿UVWZHHNRI-XQH “I hope so,” Burnard said of next year’s team. “We set a good enough example. I hope they know what to do now.” • Check out interviews with the Knappa players and coach at The Daily Astorian’s You- Tube channel: https://www. youtube.com/user/DailyAsto- rian/videos