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Phoenix wins, eyes playoffs PHOENIX -- The Phoenix High baseball team might have been better off losing its final regular-season game against North Valley Tuesday at Hagler-James Park, but coach Joe Hagler wasn't about to have his Pirates lose on purpose. Andy Bartels' booming two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the Knights and clinched second place in the Skyline Conference. The runner-up showing secured the Pirates a home game in the first round of the state playoffs. They'll host either Yamhill Carlton or Tillamook next Tuesday. Nothing wrong with that, except that the Pirates, the No. 7 ranked team in the Class 3A poll, find themselves on the top half of the bracket, where No. 1 North Marian, No. 2 The Dalles, No. 3 Philomath and No. 5 Douglas are all situated. Had Phoenix lost to North Valley, it would have gained the Skyline Conference's No. 3 seed and been sent to the other side of the bracket. "But I've got to look myself in the mirror," said Phoenix coach Joe Hagler, whose team improved to 14-6 in conference play and 18-8 overall. "There's no way we're going to throw a game. That's not in the spirit of athletics." North Valley threatened to win, anyway, when the Knights pushed across a run in the top of the ninth to grab a 6-5 lead. But in the bottom of the inning Brian Loper doubled, Theron Hull walked and Joel Bath, after failing to bunt the runners over, singled to load the bases. That set the stage for Bartels, who smashed his game-winning double to left-center to end the game. Bartels finished with two doubles and a triple to lead Phoenix at the plate. North Valley led 5-0 after 2 innings before the Pirates scored one run in the bottom of the third, two in the fourth and two more in the fifth to tie the score. An RBI triple by Bartels and Travis Dulap's RBI double brought home the tying runs that eventually sent the contest into extra innings. Westfall, who worked the final two innings, earned his second victory in as many decisions. Phoenix has had considerable success in the playoffs in recent years, winning the state championship in 1998 and advancing to the quarterfinals last season. "We've got a tough road ahead of us but we feel like we can beat anyone," Hagler said, "especially if our pitchers keep improving like they have the last few weeks." North Valley ............. 023 000 001 -- 6 6 2 Phoenix ....................001 220 002 -- 7 10 2 Godfrey and Pedersen; Rhodes, Dunlap (4), Westfall (8) and Loper. W -- Westfall (2-0). L -- Godfrey. 2B -- NV: Nead; P: Bartels 2, Dunlap, Loper. 3B -- P: Hull, Bartels. MAZAMA 12, ROGUE RIVER 2 -- At Klamath Falls, senior pitcher Jake Nelson struck out seven and didn't allow an earned run while completing Skyline Conference action with a 9-0 record. Nelson also provided a two-run homer in the fourth inning. Conference champion Mazama (19-7, 18-3 Skyline) hosts the winner of Newport-LaPine in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs on May 26. Rogue River ......... 110 00 -- 2 2 1 Mazama ...............114 42 -- 12 16 2 Hanley, Garwood (5) and Bowers; Jak. Nelson and McDaniel. W -- Jak. Nelson (9-1). L -- Hanley. 2B -- RR: Woodall, Gilbert; M: Starkey, Farley, Kilgore 2. 3B -- M: Starkey. HR -- M: Jak. Nelson. HENLEY 17, ILLINOIS VALLEY 0 -- At Klamath Falls, Nick Thede smashed a pair of three-run homers and Greg Conover added a homer and two doubles as Henley clubbed Illinois Valley in the Skyline Conference finale for both teams. The Hornets (18-8 overall, 14-7 Skyline) finish as the No. 3 team in the Skyline and will travel to Far West League runner-up Reedsport next Tuesday in a first-round state playoff playoff game. Illinois Valley ............. 000 00 -- 0 2 3 Henley ...................... 0(12)1 4 -- 17 10 2 Engberg, McDowell (2), Dugas (4) and Henery. Brad Bailey, Travis Boshuizen (4) and Bair, Pryor (4). 2B -- H: Conover 2. 3B: Brian Stock. HR: Nick Thede 2, Greg Conover. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA