Document text
Highlanders edge Comets ROSEBURG -- Crater High didn't go after a pushover in a final tune-up for its opening-round Class 4A softball state playoff game. And the Comets got off to a quick start against second-ranked North Eugene but some defensive lapses led to a 4-3 defeat at Stewart Park on Wednesday. Crater (14-11), the No. 3 team from the Southern Oregon Conference, visits Three Rivers League champion Clackamas to open the state playoffs at 4 p.m. Tuesday Crater jumped on Amy Harris for three runs in the first inning, but the impressive sophomore pitcher blanked the Comets on one hit the rest of the way. "Three runs has to do the trick at this point," said Crater coach Mike Meunier, "then you've got to hold them. We committed three errors and let them back in the ball game with unearned runs." Crater erupted for three runs in the first inning when Kara Ray reached on an error and moved to second on a ground out. Andrea Perdue connected for an RBI single and went to second on a play at the plate. Diane Steele followed with an RBI single, then Leanne Foster doubled to score Steele. North Eugene produced three singles after two were out in the fourth that provided the Highlanders with the winning run. "We need to play consistently -- pitch, play defense and hit all at the same time," said Meunier. "When we do all three fairly well, we can win ball games." Crater .................. 300 000 0 -- 3 4 3 North Eugene ....... 021 100 x -- 4 7 2 Ray and Ridge; Harris and Savelich. W -- Harris. L -- Ray (7-5). 2B -- C: Foster. Baseball HIDDEN VALLEY 13, LAKEVIEW 6 -- At Klamath Falls, Ryan Wilson was a single away from hitting for the cycle as Hidden Valley thumped Lakeview in the final Skyline Conference game for both teams. The game was played at Kiger Field in Klamath Falls due to wet field conditions in Lakeview. Wilson had two doubles, a triple and a home run to lead the Mustangs' potent attack that included seven extra-base hits. Seth Pietsch added a homer and triple and Troy Beard had a homer and single for the Mustangs, who finished the season at 13-8 in the Skyline Conference -- one game out of the state playoffs -- and 16-9 overall. Hidden Valley ............. 103 062 1 -- 13 12 0 Lakeview ..................... 301 110 0 -- 6 7 1 Adler, Hyde (4) and Schmidt; Benson, Yocum (6) and Dolbea. W -- Hyde (8-2). L -- Benson. 2B -- HV: Wilson 2; LV: Griffin, Brown. 3B -- HV: Wilson, Pietsch; LV: Brown. HR -- HV: Wilson, Beard, Pietsch. NORTH MEDFORD 4, CASCADE CHRISTIAN 2 -- At White City, Cascade Christian, the No. 1-ranked Class 2A baseball team in the state, suffered its first loss of the season. The Challengers (24-1) out-hit the North Medford JV 6-3 and left seven runners in scoring position. Only one of North's runs were earned. The Black Tornado grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning on two walks, two errors and one hit. Cascade scored both its runs in the third inning on a walk to Chad Harvey, a single by Blaine Newfield and Don Jenkins' two-run single. The Challengers' two top pitchers, Bryan Edwards and Aaron Beamish, combined for five strikeouts over three hitless innings. North Medford JV ............ 210 001 0 -- 4 3 1 Cascade Christian .......... 002 000 0 -- 2 6 4 Ryder, Timmerman (5) and Brewington; Kelley, Harvey (2), Beamish (4), Jenkins (6), Edwards (7) and Roberts, Stutzman (5). W -- Ryder. L -- Kelley (0-1). 2B -- CC: Edwards. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA