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52 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, May 8, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 8, 2005 South Medford�s Eric Mobbs (14) is safe at first base as an errant throw gets by Roseburg�s Aaron Buxton. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Frosh helps South split Griff Boyd outduels Roseburg’s Keitzman to help Panthers win Game 1 By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune South Medford freshman Griff Boyd was admittedly nervous heading into Saturday’s twin-bill opener, and for good reason. The young right-hander was set to face the most potent offense in the Southern Oregon Conference and, if that wasn’t enough, he also had to outduel one of the state’s top pitchers in Roseburg junior Blake Keitzman. And while jitters may have gotten the best of him in the top of the first inning, Griff Boyd got a jolt in the arm from older brother Logan in the bottom of the first and sailed from there to post a surprising 3-1 victory over second-ranked Roseburg at North Medford High. "He did a good job of keeping us off balance," Roseburg coach Troy Thompson said of the Panther freshman. "We kinda let them hang around and to South’s credit, they took advantage." Advertisement The Indians (18-5, 16-2 SOC) salvaged a split with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap and, thanks to North Medford’s split with Crater on Saturday, remained two games ahead of the second-place Black Tornado (19-4, 14-4) in the league standings. South Medford (16-7, 12-6) and Grants Pass (12-9, 12-6) enter Tuesday’s clash tied for third. "It was very important for us to be able to get that second one and win the head-to-head with South," added Thompson. "Each game in this conference is tough and very important to get, especially now." Griff Boyd found out exactly how tough it can be from the get-go as Keitzman laced a leadoff single and, one out later, stole second base. Aaron Buxton then drew a walk and all-state infielder Dusty Brigham added a single to load the bases and make things pretty tense on the mound. "It was a battle," Griff Boyd said of the setting. "I’ve worked out of a couple jams before today and I know my team’s going to back me every time. I just tried to throw strikes and get the ball in play because I knew they’d help me out of it." The 14-year-old induced Quentin Clark into a pop-out in foul territory to first baseman Marcus James, but then walked Brandt Walker to bring in a run. Unfazed, he then struck out Mickey Schmorde to escape any further damage. "To have the bases loaded like that and to get out of it with only one run was pretty big," said South coach Steve Antich. "That might have been the game." If not then, Logan Boyd made his bid for game-changing play two outs later as Keitzman appeared destined for a 1-2-3 inning. The standout southpaw dropped in two curveballs on the senior for an 0-2 count, then opted to challenge the elder Boyd on the next pitch. It didn’t work. Logan Boyd blasted the offering over the fence in left field to tie the game and give the Panthers a much-needed spark. "It gave our team a huge confidence boost," Griff Boyd said of his brother’s homer. "I love it when he does that. It was great for us, plus it makes him happy. And when he’s happy, it pretty much makes the team happy." At the very least, it proved to his teammates that Keitzman wasn’t invincible. "To go down 1-0 against Keitzman and then be able to hold serve with Logan’s homer was huge," added Antich. "Otherwise, (Keitzman) can just take over." Most pitchers might have wasted a pitch or two after getting ahead 0-2, but Logan Boyd said he had a feeling Keitzman was going to go right after him. "That’s the type of pitcher he is," the 18-year-old said respectfully. "I don’t think he likes to waste pitches. I kinda had a feeling that he might throw something in the zone. It was just a little more in the zone than I expected and I hit it." The Panthers added two more runs in the fourth after Justin Meyer and Jared Adamson smacked back-to-back doubles. Meyer scored on Adamson’s liner and, after a walk to Ryan Odell, Adamson came home when Eric Mobbs beat out a bunt single and Keitzman’s throw to first on the play sailed high into right field. The rest was left to Griff Boyd and the Panther defense as they combined to strand seven Roseburg runners through the first three innings and 12 overall. "I’m standing out in left field watching Griff pitch, shaking my head thinking ‘My little Griff is shutting down the best offensive team in the conference,’" Logan Boyd said of his brother’s effort. "He was throwing his hook for a strike, spotting his fastball and had his change working, too. It was awesome." Griff Boyd allowed seven singles, struck out two and walked four in 62/3 innings. Odell sealed the victory by inducing a roller back to the mound with two outs and runners on first and second in the seventh. "I thought Blake was OK and it probably wasn’t his strongest performance, but he threw well enough to win," Thompson said of Game 1. "Unfortunately our offense didn’t come through when we had opportunities, and credit that to South Medford and Griff Boyd." In the nightcap, Roseburg starter Eric Thompson and South’s Kenny Licea each allowed only four hits, but the Indians conjured up just enough offense to get over the hump with one run in the second, fourth and sixth innings. South scored its lone run in the fourth when Logan Boyd hustled home after catcher Justin Bruggeman dropped a third strike to Adamson and threw to first base but couldn’t get the ball back in time to cover the plate. Roseburg stymied South’s next best chance to score in the bottom of the sixth on a pickoff play that eventually nabbed Dan Chancler in a close play at home. FIRST GAME Roseburg..................................100 000 0 — 1 7 2 South Medford.........................100 200 x — 3 5 2 Keitzman and Benson; G. Boyd, Odell (7) and Koziol. W — G. Boyd (5-0). L — Keitzman (9-2). 2B — SM: Meyer, Adamson. HR — SM: L. Boyd. SECOND GAME Roseburg..................................010 101 0 — 3 4 0 South Medford.........................000 100 0 — 1 4 0 Thompson and Bruggeman; Licea and Koziol. W — Thompson (4-1). L — Licea (3-2). 2B — R: Clark, Bentley; SM: Adamson. HR — R: Buxton. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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