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Ashland wins first baseball title EAGLE POINT - From worst to first in one year. The Ashland High baseball team, picked to finish sixth in the Southern Oregon Conference at the start of the year, captured its first SOC crown following a league-worst 2-12 mark a year ago with Saturday's doubleheader sweep of Eagle Point. With the 10-3 opening-game win and 6-2 nightcap victory, Ashland clinched its first state playoff berth in school history. The Grizzlies made it to the conference playoffs in 1993. "They're flying," said Ashland assistant coach John Schroeder of his players. "It (SOC title) was right there, ready to fall in our lap." The only member of the Grizzlies with playoff experience is assistant coach Jason Robustelli, who played on the 1993 Ashland squad. In his third year, head coach Doug Stover brought Ashland from four wins in his first season and eight all of last year to an 18-7 overall mark and 10-4 conference record this season. Entering Saturday's twin bill, the Grizzlies were in a four-way tie for the top spot with South Medford, North Medford and Crater. Each team had an 8-4 mark. Following the sweep, the Grizzlies got what they needed when Roseburg took two from South and Crater and North split. "We all headed over to Miles Field as fast as we could following the game," said Schroeder. "Crater taking that second game was huge for us." Before Ashland could think about an SOC crown, however, it needed to take care of business on the field against the Eagles. In the opener, Charles Dotterer keyed a four-run third inning with a bases-loaded triple. The Grizzlies totaled 15 hits in the game, with Dotterer and Bill Rowe belting three apiece. Jayson Schroeder, who helped his own cause with three hits, improved his record to 5-2 and lowered his ERA to 2.07. Tyson Nelson went 3-for-4 to lead the Eagles, who finished 9-16 overall and 3-11 in the SOC. Ashland pitching ace Mike Allen shut the door in the nightcap, running his SOC mark to 6-0 and lowering his ERA to 1.36 in a complete-game, three-hit performance. "Allen is the conference player of the year," said Schroeder. "I don't see how he couldn't get it with the year he's had. You can't get much better than a 6-0 record." The Grizzlies rode Allen, Schroeder and one of the deepest pitching staffs in the conference all season, said Schroeder. "We knew we had good arms coming into the season, because we can actually go five deep," said Schroeder. "No question we had the best pitching in the league." The confidence coming off of a successful preseason blossomed even more following a big win over SOC favorite Roseburg to begin conference play. Ashland then went out and swept a 6-0 South Medford team in convincing fashion. "Winning that first game was huge for our confidence," said Schroeder. "Then to sweep South when they were playing so well, we felt like, hey, it's (SOC title) there for us so let's go get it." FIRST GAME Ashland.............................................114 110 2 - 10 15 3 Eagle Point..........................................000 000 3 - 3 7 4 Schroeder, Ehlers (5) and George; Depuy, Boyd (5) and Garrett. W - Schroeder (5-2). L - Depuy. 2B - A: Danis 2; EP: Willer, Smith. 3B - A: Dotterer. SECOND GAME Ashland.................................................300 100 2 - 6 7 5 Eagle Point...........................................000 110 0 - 2 3 5 Allen and Cook; Christian, Chavez (5) and Garrett. W - Allen (7-1). L - Christian. 2B - A: Dotterer, Cook. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.