Polk County
Sports
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 8, 2015 10A
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8
Baseball: Dallas at
Woodburn, 4:30 p.m. Cen-
tral at Lebanon, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Dallas at Cres-
cent Valley, 4:30 p.m. Silver-
ton at Central, 4:30 p.m.
Track and Field: South
Albany at Central, 4 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9
Baseball: Lewis-Clark
State at Western Oregon
(DH), 1 p.m. Western Men-
nonite at Perrydale, 4:30
p.m.
Softball: Western Men-
nonite at Perrydale, 4:30
p.m.
Track and Field: Perry-
dale at Dayton, 3:45 p.m.
Boys Tennis: Corvallis at
Dallas, 4 p.m. Lebanon at
Central, 4 p.m.
Girls Tennis: Dallas at
Corvallis, 4 p.m. Central at
Lebanon, 4 p.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10
Baseball: Woodburn at
Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Lebanon at
Central, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Lebanon at
Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Central at
Corvallis, 4:30 p.m.
Track and Field: Dallas
at Springfield Rotary Invita-
tional, 4 p.m. John Knight
Twilight at Western Oregon,
4 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 11
Baseball: Saint Martin’s
at Western Oregon (DH), 1
p.m.
Softball: Western Oregon
at Western Washington (DH),
noon.
Track and Field: Central
at Sandy Invitational, 10
a.m.
SUNDAY, APRIL 12
Baseball: Saint Martin’s
at Western Oregon (DH),
noon.
Softball: Western Oregon
at Simon Fraser (DH), 1 p.m.
MONDAY, APRIL 13
Boys Golf: Dallas, Cen-
tral at Mid-Willamette Con-
ference Tournament, Mal-
lard Creek Golf Course,
Lebanon, 10 a.m.
Girls Golf: Dallas at Mid-
Willamette Conference
To u r n a m e n t , Tu k w i l a ,
Woodburn, 10 a.m.
Boys Tennis: Central at
South Albany, 4 p.m.
Girls Tennis: South Al-
bany at Central, 4 p.m.
TUESDAY, APRIL 14
Baseball: Crescent Valley
at Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Silverton
at Central, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Silverton at
Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Central at
Woodburn, 4:30 p.m.
Track and Field: Cres-
cent Valley, South Albany,
Woodburn at Dallas, 3:30
p.m.
Boys Tennis: Dallas at
Crescent Valley, 4 p.m. Sil-
verton at Central, 4 p.m.
Girls Tennis: Crescent
Valley at Dallas, 4 p.m. Cen-
tral at Silverton, 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
Baseball: Dallas at Cres-
cent Valley, 4:30 p.m. Central
at Silverton, 4:30 p.m. Perry-
dale at St. Paul, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Dallas at Wood-
burn, 4:30 p.m. South Al-
bany at Central, 4:30 p.m.
Perrydale at Western Men-
nonite, 4:30 p.m.
Track and Field: Lebanon
at Central, 4 p.m.
—
Schedules Subject to Change
STAT SHEET
0
The number of runs
Central’s baseball
team allowed in
three games
against Woodburn last
week. The Panthers began
Mid-Willamette Confer-
ence play with a 3-0 mark.
Pitch perfect
Junior transfer emerges as Western Oregon’s top pitcher
By Lukas Eggen
Boytz File
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — It was a
moment that threatened to
derail Western Oregon’s sea-
son. After losing five straight
games at the Tournament of
Champions in Turlock,
Calif., on March 27 and 28,
WOU responded by winning
two games on March 29.
“It was
so frus-
trating
because
we know
we have the
potential,”
pitcher Alyson Boytz said.
“It’s not anything physical
that we’re lacking, it’s men-
tal. We all had to click and
buy into it. We knew what
we were capable of. When
we won those two games
(on March 29), it reminded
us that we could compete
with these teams.”
As Western Oregon at-
tempts to turn a critical cor-
ner this season, Boytz will
likely be the Wolves’ work-
horse for the homestretch.
Boytz threw a complete
game during a 4-2 win over
Western Washington on
Thursday. She threw six
strikeouts without giving up
an earned run.
The Wolves (15-22 overall,
7-6 Great Northwest Athletic
Conference) dropped the
second game of a double-
header 7-5.
WOU split a doublehead-
er on Saint Martin’s on Sat-
urday, losing 9-5 before win-
• Junior pitcher Alyson
Boytz transferred from
Clackamas Community
College this year.
• Boytz leads the Wolves
in appearances (18), ERA
(3.84), strikeouts (61) and
total innings pitched (104).
• Western Oregon plays
at Western Washington on
Saturday and Simon Fraser
on Sunday. WOU returns
home to face Saint Martin’s
on April 17.
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Western Oregon junior Alyson Boytz delivers a pitch against Western Washington on
Thursday afternoon. Boytz leads the team in strikeouts and innings pitched.
ning the finale 6-1.
Boytz, who attended
Clackamas Community Col-
lege prior to joining WOU
this season, is now one of
the Wolves’ regular starters.
CLASS 5A PREP SOFTBALL
“Our coach talks about us
being mentally tough,”
Boytz said. “It’s nothing a
coach can teach you. It just
comes naturally when you’re
a competitor. You have to be
mentally tough.”
Boytz, who has been play-
ing softball since the age of
6, is certainly showing she
has the mindset it takes to
succeed.
Though just 6-10 in 18 ap-
pearances, Boytz leads the
team in ERA (3.84), strike-
outs (61) and total innings
pitched (104).
“Her stats don’t reflect
how well she’s been doing,”
WOU coach Lonny Sargent
said. “She’s pitched against
some of the best teams in
the country. She is such a
rock and leader for our
pitching staff and our team.”
Boytz isn’t shying away
from her role on the pitch-
ing staff. She’s embracing it.
“I’m a really competitive
person and I feel like this is
just a fun position,” Boytz
said. “It challenges me. I like
taking on that challenge.”
See PERFECT, Page 11A
CLASS 5A PREP BOYS TENNIS
Mitchell returns Loving every swing
to softball team Seniors eyeing district titles, state run
By Lukas Eggen
Senior chooses softball over track
The Itemizer-Observer
Mitchell found success in
the javelin.
The Itemizer-Observer
Yet, she never truly got
DALLAS — When spring softball off her mind.
sports sign-ups arrived, Dal-
“Last year, I really missed
las senior Sarah Mitchell had the sport of softball and the
a decision to
team aspect of it,” Mitchell
make.
said. “With track being
As a sopho-
mostly an individual sport, it
more, Mitchell
can sometimes be hard to
played soft-
stay accountable because
ball.
you don’t have teammates
During
depending on you and
her junior
pushing you.”
year,
And so, the day be-
she tr-
fore paperwork was
ied so-
due, Mitchell chose
mething
softball.
new.
“I think I came into
“My older sister,
this season with a
Jessica, did track all
different mindset
of her four years
than I did sopho-
and I thought I’d
more year,”
give it a try be-
Mitchell said. “I
cause I didn’t
just want to have
want to finish
fun and hopefully
high school
win games while I’m
looking back
at it, considering it
and wishing I
is my last sport
had tried
as a high sch-
something
ooler.”
d i f f e re n t ,”
See
Mitchell
Mitchell
RETURN,
said.
Page 12A
INDEPENDENCE —
Central senior Kevin Cable
was cruising to a 6-0, 6-2
victory over Dallas’ Jacob
Harustak on Thursday af-
ternoon, but an unforced
error — a ball that sailed
into the net — helped
Harustak
win a ga-
me, caus-
ing Cable
to bend
over in
disgust.
It’s mo-
ments like
that Cable
Sanna
is trying to
eliminate.
“I try and stay positive
out there,” Cable said. “I
just try and focus on what I
need to do.”
Cable, the Panthers’ No. 1
singles player, isn’t shy
about his goals: take first or
second at the Mid-
Willamette Conference dis-
trict tennis championships
and qualify for state.
“Last year, I was one
match away (from qualify-
ing for state),” Cable said.
“That was a tough loss.”
By Lukas Eggen
www.polkio.com/ns/sports
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Central senior Kevin Cable returns a hit against Dallas’
Jacob Harustak on Thursday afternoon.
Cable didn’t let the sting
of the last season’s finish
keep him down for long.
“Kevin is adding some
new shots to his game, giv-
ing him more control on
the court,” Panthers coach
www.facebook.com/pages/Polk-County-Itemizer-Observer/205062686252209
Mon -Fri 8am - 6pm • Sat 8am - 5pm
DALLAS 121 Main St • 503-623-8155
INDEPENDENCE
1710 Monmouth St • 503-838-6340
www.LesSchwab.com Prices good through 4/30/15
Patti Youngren said. “Even
though Kevin played bas-
ketball this season, his
skill level is real strong and
his devotion to tennis
shows.”
See SWING, Page 11A
www.twitter.com/PolkIOSports