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Timberjacks rally falls short By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN The Southern Oregon Timberjacks battled from behind valiantly Tuesday night in an attempt to win their fifth straight game of the young season. The Timberjacks, who fell behind 13-6 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, scored six runs in the seventh and three in the ninth to tie the game at 15-15, but Boise pushed across four runs in the 10th to claim a 19-15 win before 1,402 at Miles Field. The Timberjacks fell to 4-1 for the season, while Boise improved to 4-1. Boise scored four times in the 10th when Gary Johnson slapped a two-run single and Michael O'Keefe followed with another two-run single. Southern Oregon, trailing 13-6 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, exploded for six runs to cut the Hawks' lead to 13-12. Jorge Soto slammed a two-run home run in the seventh to ignite the Timberjacks. Singles by Aaron Nieckula and Kirk Asche set up the third Timberjacks' run of the inning, which was driven in when Gerald Laird grounded into a fielder's choice. Walks to Michael Clements, Carlos Rosario and Matt Forbes forced in the fifth run of the inning and Brad Henderson drove in the final run with a sacrifice fly. In the ninth, Henderson delivered a run-scoring single and Nieckula tied the game with a two-run single to center field. Boise finished with 21 hits, including four each by Johnson and O'Keefe. Kirk Asche led the Timberjacks with a 3-for-5 performance. Johnson delivered a run-scoring double for the Hawks in the first inning and had a run-scoring single in the fifth prior to his two-run single in the 10th. Asche had a run-scoring triple in the third for the Timberjacks. Asche grounded out in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and two outs. On the previous pitch, Asche lined a drive down the left-field line that landed two feet foul. Asche said he was facing best friend, Boise pitcher Palmer Ebanks, in the duel in the ninth. "We were thinking we were going to win it," said Asche. "It just so happens the pitcher was my best friend. "I just tried to get a good pitch to hit and the pitch was a curveball and he hung it. I just didn't get good wood on it." The two teams square off again tonight at Miles Field in the third game of a five-game series. Game time is 7 p.m. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.