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Mustangs stay hot with sweep of Falcons By Danny Penza Updated: Jul 12, 2022 09:35 PM A A 6 View all photos Bottom of the lineup comes through in opener as Medford goes to 21 games above .500 mark The Medford Mustangs have shown for much of the 2022 American Legion AAA season that it’s not always going to be the same hitters that hurt you every game. That was proven to be true once again to open Tuesday night’s doubleheader. Getting plenty of offense from the bottom of their lineup and another solid start from pitcher Owen Thompson, the Mustangs were able to pull away for a 10-2 win over the Klamath Falls Falcons in Game 1 at Harry & David Field. The Mustangs completed the sweep with a 2-0 win over the Falcons, as Beau Aldrich and Cody Borraggine combined to throw a four-hit shutout. Aldrich scattered three hits and struck out three in four innings, while Borraggine picked up the three-inning save, allowing just one hit over that span. Medford scored both of its runs in Game 2 in the bottom of the first, getting an RBI double from the red-hot Jace Miller and a run-scoring single from Thompson. The Mustangs (27-6) have won six straight to move to a season-best 21 games over .500. They will get a much-deserved three days off before heading north to face the Eugene Challengers in a 5 p.m. doubleheader at Swede Johnson Stadium on Saturday. It will be the first time the two teams have faced one another since last summer’s state championship game, which saw the Challengers claim the title with a 6-2 comeback win. The Mustangs finished with nine hits against the Falcons in the opener, with over half of those coming from Nos. 8 and 9 hitters Johnny King and Kyle Cope. King was 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored, while Cope was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. The Mustangs opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Tanner Douglas — who threw a no-hitter in Game 2 of Monday’s doubleheader in Klamath Falls — scored on Frankie Rutigliano’s RBI single. Klamath Falls, however, tied the game in the top of the third thanks to a two-out RBI single on a full count by Jacob Cook. The tie game didn’t last for long. After Cameron Sewell doubled and Douglas was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the third, Sewell came into score on Jeremiah Robbins’ sacrifice fly to shallow right field. Medford added to its lead an inning later, as Kyle Cope scored on Borraggine’s fielder’s choice groundout and a passed ball by Klamath Falls allowed Borraggine to score from third two batters later. Klamath Falls cut the Medford lead to 4-2 a half-inning later, but the Mustangs broke things open in the bottom of the fifth, with the bottom of the lineup again playing a role in things. First it was No. 8 hitter Johnny King with an RBI double to make it 5-2. Moments later, Cope hit an RBI single to right to score King, and then scored on a wild pitch for the final run of the inning. The beneficiary of another big run total by the Mustangs offense was Thompson, who allowed two runs and five hits in five innings of work. Thompson finished with three strikeouts and two walks. Julius Bolstad threw the final two innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out two. Dating back to their return to Medford last Wednesday after tournament play in Reno over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the Mustangs have gotten at least five innings from their starting pitcher in all but one of their 10 wins over that span. FIRST GAME Klamath Falls Falcons0010100—261 Medford Mustangs101233x—1090 Harper, Doss (5) and McGuire; Thompson, Bolstad (6) and Robbins. W — Thompson. L — Harper. 2B — M: King, Sewell. SECOND GAME Klamath Falls Falcons0000000—040 Medford Mustangs200000x—250 Cheyne and Waits; Aldrich, Borraggine (5) and Robbins. W — Aldrich. L — Cheyne. SV — Borraggine. 2B — M: Miller. MEDFORD MUSTANGS 4-11, KLAMATH FALLS 2-0: At Klamath Falls, Medford starting pitcher Tanner Douglas struck out 13 in a six-inning no-hitter to complete an American Legion AAA doubleheader sweep Tuesday night of the Klamath Falls Falcons at Kiger Stadium. Douglas, who also had a pair of RBIs in the Game 2, got an early 1-0 lead to work with thanks to Triston Wallace’s sacrifice fly in the top of the second. The Mustangs then scored four in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead, getting run-scoring doubles from Johnny King and Douglas. Jace Miller capped the four-run inning with an RBI single. Miller and King both finished with two hits and two RBIs in Game 2, while Cody Borraggine and Cameron Sewell also had two-hit games. Sewell got the start in Game 1 and was nearly as dominant, striking out 11 in a complete-game effort. Sewell allowed two runs — both coming on solo home runs in the second and fourth innings — and five hits while walking a batter. Medford broke a 2-all tie with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth when Frankie Rutigliano scored on a wild pitch and Triston Wallace brought in Kaleb Long on a squeeze bunt. Douglas went 2-for-3 in Game 1, as the Mustangs were limited to just five hits by Falcons starter Marcus Ulla-Ford. FIRST GAME Medford Mustangs2000200—450 Klamath Falls Falcons0101000—251 Sewell and Robbins; Ulla-Ford and Harper. W — Sewell. L — Ulla-Ford. 2B — M: Douglas; KF: Harper. 3B — KF: Cook. HR — KF: Raebel, Hubble. SECOND GAME Medford Mustangs010406—11121 Klamath Falls Falcons000000—003 Douglas and Robbins; Baker, Douglas (6) and McGuire. W — Douglas. L — Baker. 2B — M: Sewell, Douglas, Robbins, King. Reach reporter Danny Penza at 541-776-4469 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @penzatopaper. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneMedford Mustangs catcher Jeremiah Robbins tags out Klamath Falls Falcons’ Kadin Bolanos at home plate during Game 1 Tuesday evening at Harry & David Field in Medford. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneMedford Mustangs second baseman Cameron Sewell makes a catch for an out during Game 1 against the Klamath Falls Falcons at Harry & David Field in Medford Tuesday evening. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneMedford Mustangs pitcher Owen Thompson makes a play off a bunt for an out during Game 1 against the Klamath Falls Falcons at Harry & David Field in Medford Tuesday evening. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneMedford Mustangs’ Kyle Cope connects for a base hit during Game 1 against the Klamath Falls Falcons at Harry & David Field in Medford Tuesday evening. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneMedford Mustangs’ Kyle Cope slides into second base safe during Game 1 against the Klamath Falls Falcons at Harry & David Field in Medford Tuesday evening. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneMedford Mustangs Tanner Douglas’ slides safely to second base during Game 1 against the Klamath Falls Falcons at Harry & David Field in Medford Tuesday evening.