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Varsity 541 NEWS NOW Roseburg shooting victim describes gunman's rampage ... Habitat for Humanity volunteers raise walls and hope for Medford family ... Gold Hill residents say city dawdled as streets flooded ... Roseburg shooting victim describes gunman's rampage ... Habitat for Humanity volunteers raise walls and hope for Medford family ... Gold Hill residents say city dawdled as streets flooded ... PREP SOFTBALL North knocked out Eight-run second inning by McNary dooms Black Tornado Comment By Kris Henry Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted May. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted May. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM --> MCNARY 12, NORTH MEDFORD 2 RECAP: McNary rides five extra-base hits, including two solo home runs, and 15 hits overall to upend North Medford in the second round of the 6A state... » Read more X MCNARY 12, NORTH MEDFORD 2 RECAP : McNary rides five extra-base hits, including two solo home runs, and 15 hits overall to upend North Medford in the second round of the 6A state playoffs. OF NOTE : The Southwest Conference champion Black Tornado ends its season 23-5 after having its 15-game winning streak snapped by the Greater Valley Conference champion Celtics. » Social News McNary’s Kelsi Christenson sent a warning shot in the form of a first-inning home run against North Medford during Wednesday’s Class 6A softball state playoff contest at North Medford High. After that, the Celtics crippled the Black Tornado with a second-inning barrage that resulted in an insurmountable 9-0 lead and cost North Medford a chance at a fourth straight trip to the state championship game with an eventual 12-2 loss in the second round. “They did what they had to do to put us in a place where our two or three runs, our couple baserunners just wasn’t going to be enough to kind of claw our way back into it,” said Black Tornado head coach Mike Mayben of McNary’s eight-run second inning. “Give credit to McNary, holy cow, they hit the ball hard and they were prepared to come out here and drive the ball out of the park.” The Celtics (21-7) had averaged 14 runs per game during their 11-game winning streak entering Wednesday’s contest and were definitely up for the challenge against the Southwest Conference champion Black Tornado (23-5). “I love hitting first,” said third-year McNary head coach Kevin Wise, “because we’ve been on kind of a tear and it seems like when we get up and we start hitting — especially like with the home run by Kelsi in the first inning — it just kind of relaxes us and then we just come out and play our game. It’s a great thing.” Christenson’s no-doubter over the center field wall came after a prolonged battle with North Medford junior starter Sarah Thomas. After fouling off several pitches, Christenson fully extended on a low pitch — the 10th of her at-bat — to give McNary a 1-0 lead. Celtics pitcher Megan Ulrey then deposited the second pitch of the second inning over the center field wall for McNary’s 23rd home run of the season, and all the momentum was in the visitor’s dugout. In all, McNary used four hits, three walks, two wild pitches and one hit batter to put an end to Thomas’ day with two outs in the second inning. Teanna Gonsalves came on in relief with the bases loaded and immediately hit a batter and gave up a two-run single by No. 7 hitter Nicole Duran before ending the inning with a strikeout of Haley Ebner. Gonsalves went on to allow only one earned run in the ensuing two innings before giving way to freshman Monique Kruse, but too much damage was already done. “We knew we had to score runs and we knew they were going to put some runs up,” said Mayben, noting the Celtics likely were the best hitting team North faced all season. “The two home runs, we were OK there, but they put up that eight-spot and that was really where it really just became about hopefully putting two or three runs up every inning to compete, but we just weren’t able to do it.” North Medford battled back with two runs in the third inning, with Olivia Lethlean smacking a leadoff single, stealing second and then scoring on a single past the shortstop by fellow sophomore Taelor Mayben, who took second on the throw home. After Grace Jovanovic’s groundout advanced Mayben to third, she scored on a groundout to first base by senior Janelle Rodgers to cut the Tornado’s deficit to 9-2. Undaunted, McNary kept the pressure on with a run in the fifth on an RBI triple by Kimi Ito that led to Kruse’s varsity debut for North Medford. The freshman right-hander sported a constant smile and came up big right away by snaring a comebacker and tagging out Ito between third base and home plate. Kruse capped the inning with a strikeout of Ulrey. Consecutive two-out doubles by Christenson and Kiana Villarreal and an RBI single by Ulrey built McNary’s cushion to 12-2 in the seventh inning. “We expected a dogfight,” said Wise, “and then we just kept hitting and hitting and then it kind of all just came together. (North Medford’s) a great team and it’s fun because they’re a class team, too. It’s fun to come play a team like them.” Freshman Alex Barry finished 2-for-3 to pace the Black Tornado, which played without one of its leading hitters in junior catcher Tra Kucera, who was out of the lineup due to concussion symptoms. Madisen Oliver was 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI and the Celtics also got two hits apiece from Christenson, Ulrey, Duran and Nadia Witt to finish with 15 overall. McNary will next play at Grants Pass in Friday’s state quarterfinals. “They had a great game,” Jovanovic said of McNary. “Honestly, they had one outstanding inning and we just struggled in that inning. If it weren’t for that inning, it would’ve been such a close ballgame. We got down and tried to rally back, we just didn’t have our bats today. Hat’s off to them.” For Jovanovic, who played outfield for the Tornado in its past three championship games, walking off the North Medford diamond after a playoff defeat was a circumstance she wasn’t totally prepared to do Wednesday. “I’ve always been there (in the title game) and not going now, it’s just weird to end this way,” she said. “I don’t really know what to do. I don’t have practice tomorrow so that will be odd, but it’s been such an honor to work with all these girls this year. We’re such a young team, nobody even thought we’d make it this far. It’s just been such a great growth and great experience this year.” Besides Jovanovic, North Medford graduates senior starters Rodgers and Christina Kuykendall. Two of the infielders in Wednesday’s game were freshmen in Barry (second base) and Rylan Austin (shortstop) and both made sensational defensive plays, along with Mayben at third base. “These kids were resilient all year, through injuries or if we were down three or four runs,” said coach Mayben. “What’s really exciting is we just plugged another kid in and we kept competing and kept playing, so I’m excited about the future. There’s a lot of kids that are ready to go and take over for our three seniors.” McNary;180;010;2;—;12;15;1 North Medford;002;000;0;—;2;7;1 Ulrey and Villarreal; Thomas, Gonsalves (2), Kruse (5) and Rosales. W — Ulrey (18-6). L — Thomas (17-3). 2B — M: Christenson, Villarreal. 3B — M: Ito. HR — M: Christenson (4), Ulrey (3). Reach reporter Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, [email protected], www.facebook.com/krishenryMT or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry By Kris Henry Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted May. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction Schedules & Events --> Recent Scores --> Prep Notebook Kris Henry South’s Cota broke Retzlaff’s school record All apologies to former South Medford standout Matt Retzlaff, who failed to get the recognition he was due last week after it was, in fact, his... Varsity 541 Photos Max King XC Invitational North vs. Grants Pass Crater vs. Ashland Football State of Jefferson Invitational South vs. North North vs. South Eugene » More Photo Galleries Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications | Contact Us | Advertise | © Copyright Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.