Document text
South blows away KU Gradually building through its non-league baseball schedule, South Medford put it all together in its Southern Oregon Conference opener against Klamath Union on Tuesday. Panther pitchers Matt Skundrick and Clint Rodreick kept the basepaths free of Pelicans and South received just enough offense to sweep past KU, 5-0 and 4-0, in a doubleheader at Miles Field. Skundrick had 13 strikeouts and scattered three hits in the Game 1 shutout, while Rodreick was equally impressive in allowing three hits in the nightcap. "Our pitching was as good as you can have," said South Medford coach Pete Whisler. "They only had two guys reach third base all day." Skundrick was particularly imposing for the Panthers (5-6, 2-0 SOC), striking out more than eight batters for the third straight game. "All three of his pitches were on today," said Whisler. "He was overpowering and they couldn�t catch up to his fastball. He�s just getting the job done and throwing the ball well for us." With the wins, South moved into first place in the SOC standings as league favorites Crater and Roseburg split their openers. The North Medford-Grants Pass matchup was postponed to today in Grants Pass. The Panthers jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first inning of Game 1 behind an RBI single by Skundrick, a passed ball that allowed a run and fielder�s choice RBIs by Matt Smith and Blake St. Onge. Cody George helped put South on the board in the nightcap with an RBI triple in the second inning, while Skundrick added an RBI double and David Henneman drove in two runs in the sixth. Klamath Union dropped to 0-2 in SOC play, despite pitchers Nick Caleb and Tyler Baker limiting the Panthers to 11 hits in the doubleheader. "Their pitching is going to give people some fits because they�re pretty decent," said Whisler. FIRST GAME Klamath Union.....................................000 000 0 � 0 3 0 South Medford......................................401 000 x � 5 5 2 Caleb and Ja. Mortenson; Skundrick and Smith. W � Skundrick (1-2). L � Caleb. SECOND GAME Klamath Union.....................................000 000 0 � 0 3 1 South Medford......................................010 003 x � 4 6 1 Ty. Baker and Ja. Mortenson; Rodreick and Smith. W � Rodreick (2-0). L � Ty. Baker. 2B � KU: Ja. Mortenson, Lukkari; SM: Skundrick. 3B � George. ASHLAND 5-1, ROSEBURG 4-6 � At Ashland, Ryan Decker�s walk-off double in the opener handed ninth-ranked Roseburg (10-1 overall, 1-1 SOC) its first loss of the season. Zach Brewer opened the seventh inning for the Grizzlies (8-4, 1-1 SOC) with a single and was forced at second on Torrance George�s fielder�s choice. Jayson Schroeder followed with a single, then Decker provided a two-out, game-winning hit. Junior Bill Rowe�s fifth home run of the season, a two-run blast in the third, gave the Grizzlies a 4-3 lead. Rowe finished with three RBIs. SOC all-conference pitcher Mike McInerney tossed a complete-game, six-hitter for Roseburg in the nightcap. McInerney took a shutout into the seventh before Nick Ehlers singled, stole second and scored on Chase Cook�s single. Cory Baird�s three-run double highlighted the Indians� five-run fifth inning. Ole Sheldon and John Zumwalt each had a pair of hits for Roseburg in the second game. Ashland�s eight wins overall matches its total from last year. FIRST GAME Roseburg...............................................003 010 0 � 4 5 2 Ashland.................................................202 000 1 � 5 6 2 Zumwalt and Baird ; Ehlers, Rowe (7) and George. W � Rowe (1-0). L � Zumwalt. 2B � R: Sheldon, Zumwalt; A: Weston, Decker. HR � A: Rowe (5). SECOND GAME Roseburg...............................................001 050 0 � 6 9 0 Ashland.................................................000 000 1 � 1 6 0 McInerney and Baird; Decker, Schroeder (5) and Cook. W � McInerney. L � Decker (2-1). 2B � R: Baird; A: Rowe. 3B � R: Walker. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.