Document text
Comets split with KU in wild on KLAMATH FALLS � The starting shortstop and center fielder were ejected late in the first game. The first baseman took a line shot in the leg and wasn�t able to play the second game. And the scheduled starting pitcher for Game 2 was removed from the lineup for disciplinary reasons. Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong for the Crater High baseball team here Tuesday. But the Comets somehow overcame Murphy�s Law just long enough to salvage a 7-4 victory over Klamath Union and a split of their Southern Oregon Conference doubleheader. The Pelicans took the opener 5-4 in nine innings. The split left Crater at 2-2 in conference play and 10-3 overall, while Klamath Union moved to 1-3 in the SOC and 3-10 on the season. The fireworks before a spirited crowd at Kiger Stadium began in the top of the ninth inning of the first game and the score tied 4-4. With two outs and nobody on, Crater�s Ryan Gipson hit what appeared to be a routine ground ball to third base. As he approached first base, Gipson tangled with Pelicans first-baseman Nick Caleb. Gipson was out on the play, but first base umpire Ted Crowley ruled that Gipson intentionally tried to trip Caleb and threw him � Gipson � out of the game. Moments later, Crater�s Ken Strate grounded out to end the inning, and when he protested Gipson�s fate, Crowley gave Strate the heave-ho as well. "Strate shouldn�t have said anything but Gipson really got a raw deal," Crater coach Chuck Dominiak said. "All he did was step on the bag and then get tangled up with their first baseman (Caleb). That sort of thing happens all the time. "It was a terrible call." Worse yet, Crater had to play the bottom of the ninth with only eight players because the Comets had exhausted all their substitutions. After a walk to Jason Mortenson, Klamath�s Mike Mitchell hit a double to right field and Mortenson scored all the way from first, sliding around Crater catcher Jared Maddocks on a close play at the plate for the winning run. Mortenson�s hit likely would have been caught had the short-handed Comets had three outfielders on the field instead of only two, Dominiak said. "I�ve coached for 27 years and that�s the first time I�ve finished a game with eight players," he added. Because of a league rule, Gipson and Strate had to sit out the second game. Derek Petersen, the Comets� first-game pitcher, was slated to play first base in the nightcap but took a line shot to his right shin late in Game 1 and was unavailable for further duty. Dominiak also yanked Chris Pettegrew, the scheduled starter for Game 2, for disciplinary reasons. But sophomore left-hander Kevin Mulder went the distance on the mound, holding the Pelicans scoreless over the final four innings. Another sophomore, Colin Schoonover, filled in admirably for Gipson at shortstop and Andrew Norum, the Comets� regular third baseman, filled in flawlessly at first base in place of Petersen. Norum is also a sophomore. In the outfield, David Sills moved from left to center and Shane Lumpkin came in to play left. "I couldn�t be more proud of those kids," Dominiak said. "We had a lot of things going against us and those young kids took on the challenge and came through with flying colors." Schoonover, who played on the Comets� JV team during the opening game, made all six plays that came his way � five assists and a putout. Crater trailed 4-3 heading into the sixth inning but the Comets tied the game with a run in the sixth and then rallied for three runs in the seventh to win going way. Mulder�s sacrifice fly scored Norum for the winning run in the seventh. FIRST GAME Crater.............................................. 000 021 100 � 4 5 3 Klamath Union.................................011 020 001 � 5 9 2 Petersen and Maddocks. Caleb, Mitchell (9) and Ja. Mortenson. W � Mitchell (2-0). L � Petersen. 2B � Ja. Mortenson, Je. Mortenson, Mitchell, James. 3B � KU: Mitchell. HR � KU: Je. Mortenson. SECOND GAME Crater................................................ 012 001 3 � 7 10 3 Klamath Union ................................. 013 000 0 � 4 10 1 Mulder and Maddocks. Baker, Mitchell (7) and Je. Mortinson. W � Mulder. L � Baker (1-2). 2B � C: Lumpkin, Maddocks, Overstake; KU � Caleb, Ja. Mortinson. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.