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BASEBALL/SOFTBALL: Challengers clinch FWL title By Mail Tribune staff Updated: May 20, 2022 10:36 PM A A Cascade Christian didn’t make it easy on itself but the Challengers were able to pull of a doubleheader sweep of Douglas on Friday afternoon to claim the outright Far West League baseball title. After scoring a 10-3 win in the opener, top-ranked Cascade Christian used an eighth-inning walk-off single by Cole Shields to fend off the Trojans for a 13-12 win in extra innings at Lithia & Driveway Fields. Douglas had beaten the Challengers (22-4, 12-3 FWL) on Tuesday to put their FWL title hopes in question with a one-game lead over South Umpqua with only Friday’s twin bill remaining. Cascade figured to have a sweep sewn up after scoring seven runs in the third inning to build a 10-2 advantage, but Douglas (11-15, 5-10) was undeterred and pushed a combined seven straight runs across before ultimately sending the game into extras with three runs in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the eighth, Owen Thompson drew a one-out walk and stole second base to give the Challengers a shot at victory. With two outs, Shields singled to left field for the game-winner. Shields finished 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs, while Liam Benade was 3-for-4 with one run and three RBIs. Triston Wallace and Austin Waits each had two hits and drove in a pair of runs for Cascade in Game 2. Shields allowed four hits and three runs — two earned — over six innings to score the Game 1 pitching victory. The junior struck out three and walked three and also led the offensive charge with an RBI double and two-run home run to finish with four RBIs overall. Wallace had a pair of opening-game triples and the Challengers got a pair of RBIs from Jack Knips and Waits. FIRST GAME Douglas0001002—350 Cascade Christian000451x—10121 Ledbetter, Hoyle (4) and Paul; Shields, Stofflet (7) and Wallace. W — Shields. L — Ledbetter. 2B — D: Mickle; CC: Knips, Shields, Thompson 2, Waits. 3B — CC: Wallace 2. HR — CC: Shields. SECOND GAME Douglas02043030—12122 Cascade Christian30702001—13142 Richardson, Mickle (3), Ledbetter (7), Hoyle (8) and Paul; Waits, A. Moody (4), Stofflet (5), Letendre (7) and Wallace. W — Letendre. L — Hoyle. 2B — D: Lounsbury, Mickle, Richardson; CC: Benade 2, Reece, Thompson 2. ASHLAND 5, CRATER 1: At Central Point, Ashland freshman Evan Rhoden delivered a complete-game gem on the mound 14 strikeouts to help the Grizzlies claim the Midwestern League finale. Rhoden yielded just one earned run on three hits and a walk. Jackson Rosenthal had a two-run single in the second inning and finished 2-for-3 for the Grizzlies (16-7, 11-4 MWL), while Jackson Kemper went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and Elam Wright was 2-for-4. Caleb Randolph went 2-for-3 with a double for the Comets (9-15, 7-8). Ashland1210010—5102 Crater0000100—132 Rhoden and Wright; H. Kindreich, Hill (7) and D. Kindreich. W — Rhoden. L — H. Kindreich. 2B — A: Wright; C: Randolph, Tibbils. BROOKINGS-HARBOR 9-3, ST. MARY’S 2-2: At Brookings, St. Mary’s saw its comeback attempt in the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 fall short as host Brookings-Harbor secured a key Far West League doubleheader sweep. Brookings-Harbor (17-8, 10-5 MWL) led 3-0 in the top of the seventh with one out when Beau Aldrich and Eli Haynes sparked the Crusaders (13-11, 6-9) with back-to-back singles. After Grant Russo walked to load the bases with two outs, Jake Pivaroff came through with a two-run single to left field before the Bruins secured the final out. In the opener, St. Mary’s was unable to produce runs despite coming away with nine hits. Haynes finished 3-for-3 with two runs and Russo 2-for-3 with an RBI. FIRST GAME St. Mary’s0001010—294 Brookings-Harbor041211x—9101 Aldrich, Russo (5) and Lawrence; Burger, Orman (6) and Rosenberg. W — Burger. L — Aldrich (6-4). 2B — BH: Orman. SECOND GAME St. Mary’s0000002—232 Brookings-Harbor3000000—351 Johnson and Lawrence; DeShon, Valliere (7) and Rosenberg. W — DeShon. L — Johnson (6-4). Softball CRATER 10, ASHLAND 1: At Central Point, Crater sophomore Alexis Perez struck out eight over five innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits and three walks in the regular season finale. Kaylynn Wolchok went 3-for-3 with three runs and an RBI for the MWL champion Comets (21-6, 15-1 MWL), and Alyssa Kilbane was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Glory Pistole went 2-for-4 with an RBI single for fourth-place Ashland (16-9, 10-6). Ashland0001000—144 Crater130231x—10103 Pistole and Theobald; Perez, Allen (6) and Reid. W — Perez (8-3). L — Pistole. 2B — C: S. Foster. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneCascade Christian's Cole Shields, shown recently against St. Mary’s, supplied key efforts in both games Friday to lead the Challengers to a doubleheader sweep at Lithia & Driveway Fields.