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P/CLOUDY Temp: 60 °F Wind: N at 5 mph Saturday, June 21, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend May 29, 2003 Missed opportunities cost Phoenix INDEPENDENCE — The Phoenix baseball team threatened early but failed to cash in on some key opportunities during a 5-4 loss to Central in the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs on Wednesday. The Pirates (17-10) pounded out eight hits and pushed Central pitcher Jordan Pratt (10-0), who is headed to Washington State University next season on a baseball scholarship, to the limit before bowing out. No. 4-ranked Central moves on to host second-ranked Ontario, a 13-2 winner over Cascade, Friday in the quarterfinals. Michael Braziel blasted a two-run home run to cap a three-run first inning for Central, and Pratt chipped in with a pair of hits. Phoenix rallied to tie at 4-all in the fifth inning, but Central answered with the eventual game-winning run in the bottom half. Advertisement "It seemed like they were threatening the whole game," said Dale Cutsforth, coach of Val-Co Conference champion Central. "We booted the ball around a lot early, a little in-between and not at all late, when it really counted. "They are a great team that is very well-coached, and I think they used some of our early mistakes to gain some momentum." Pratt struck out 10 and walked only one in outlasting Pirates’ senior pitcher Brady Rhodes for the win. "Jordan has the capability to really take over a game," said Cutsforth. "Today, he had that at the plate, and his pitching came around late, when it counted." Phoenix scored a run in the first and had an opportunity to tack on more, but Rhodes was gunned down at the plate by the Panthers’ left fielder. Central grabbed its biggest lead at 4-1 in the second before the Pirates slowly chipped away. Phoenix.....................................101 020 0 — 4 8 2 Central......................................310 010 x — 5 6 3 Rhodes and West; Pratt and Herbert. W — Pratt (10-0). L — Rhodes. 2B — C: Pratt, Braziel. HR — C: Braziel. MAZAMA 9, SUTHERLIN 8 — At Klamath Falls, Skyline Conference champion Mazama survived a second-round scare before advancing. The Vikings move on to play a quarterfinal game against the Tri-Valley No. 3 team Gladstone, a 6-5 winner over Sisters, on Friday. PLEASANT HILL 3, NORTH VALLEY 1 — At Pleasant Hill, North Valley, the No. 3 team out of the Skyline Conference, dropped a second-round game to Pleasant Hill to end its season. The Sky-Em champion Billies face Tri-Valley champion Wilsonville on Friday in quarterfinal action. Class 4A Baseball GRANT 8, KLAMATH UNION 4 — At Klamath Falls, Matt Hibbitts had three hits, including a game-tying home run, as Grant rallied to nip Klamath Union in an eight-inning, second-round game. Grant moves on to face Newberg, a 12-4 winner over Lakeridge, on Friday. Hibbitts blasted a one-out solo home run in the top of the seventh to send the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, John Fisher drove in two with a two-out double and Hibbitts followed with a two-run triple. Sean Anderson and Jon James each had two hits for Southern Oregon Conference second-seed KU, which ends the season 16- 10. Grant.....................................001 002 14 — 8 10 1 Klamath Union......................101 002 00 — 4 6 2 Fisher, Hibbitts (7) and Minch; Bennett, James (4) and Rogers. W — Hibbitts. L — James. 2B — G: Fisher; KU: Anderson. 3B — G: Hibbitts. HR — G: Hibbitts. Class 4A Softball GRANTS PASS 2, CLACKAMAS 1 — At Grants Pass, Jessica Morton struck out six to lead Grants Pass to a second-round victory over Clackamas. The Cavers host sixth-ranked Barlow, a 9-2 winner over Springfield, in quarterfinal action Friday. Morton went the distance, giving up just two hits to help Grants Pass, coming off a first-round upset at Tualatin on Monday, improve to 20-8 on the season. The Cavers, the fourth seed out of the SOC, used aggressive baserunning to break up a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Ashley Franko reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and moved to third on Brin Tamblin’s single. Both runners would score on an infield hit that skipped over the Clackamas pitcher’s glove, then got past the shortstop. Tamblin led the Cavers with two hits. Morton’s pitching win was her 18th against six losses. Clackamas................................000 001 0 — 1 2 1 Grants Pass..............................000 020 x — 2 4 0 Even and Clem, Robinson (6); Morton and Sander. W — Morton (18-6). L — Even. Class 3A Softball ROGUE RIVER 5, RIVERSIDE 4 — At Boardman, Kristi Frederick and Jill Artoff each had two hits as Rogue River rallied for a second-round victory over Riverside, champions of the Greater Oregon Conference. The Chieftains will face Elmira, a 2-0 winner over The Dalles, on Friday in a quarterfinal game. Rogue River, seeded third out of the Skyline Conference, climbed back from a 4-3 deficit with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Laura Jones gave up 11 hits but also struck out 11 to keep the Pirates’ offense at bay. Rogue River.............................000 301 1 — 5 5 1 Riverside................................000 220 0 — 4 11 0 Jones and Artoff; Hancock and Totten. W — Jones. L — Hancock. 2B — R: Hancock, Mason, Totten. 3B — RR: Frederick. STAYTON 4, HENLEY 2 — At Stayton, Henley, the No. 2 team out of the Skyline, had its season come to a close with a second-round loss. Stayton, the Capital Conference champion, moves on to the quarterfinals to face Baker, a 3-0 winner over Glide. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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