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Chehalem to play for ninth at Junior Olympics
B. Scott Anderson: Something seems a bit odd
in JBO decision
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Newberg eliminated from tourney |
The Senior American baseball team goes 1-2 during
the weekend at the state tournament |
By B. Scott Anderson, Newberg
Graphic sports editor
E-mail Scott at banderson@eaglenewspapers.com
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HILLSBORO — Newberg saw its state
championship bid end Friday when it fell 12-6 to the Clark County
Titans in the consolation bracket of the Junior Baseball of Oregon
Senior American State Tournament.
Newberg opened the tournament Thursday with a 6-4 loss to Sunset,
then returned to action Friday against West Linn where it scored a
4-3 win. Newberg lost Friday afternoon to Clark County and was
eliminated from the tournament.
Newberg coach Russ Young said he was proud of his team, which
finished 17-6-3 overall this season.
“For all
the information I had, we weren’t supposed to go anywhere, so to
have these kids actually make it to state, it shows a lot of the
character of the kids,” Young said.
In the win against West Linn, Newberg took the lead with a three-run
second inning. Cory Freeman scored off a Matthew Schrieber single
before Kristian Hansen got on with a walk and advanced to third
before he stole home on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Schrieber
scored on a Mark Almquist RBI single.
After West Linn scored in the top of the third, Chandler Willcuts
walked and then stole all the bases, including home on a wild pitch.
Newberg appeared to be in control of the game, but West Linn scored
a run in the fifth and one in the seventh before Schrieber scooped
up a grounder at second base and threw to first for the final out of
the game.
“They came focused and did well,” Young said of his team. “They
came ready to play.”
Newberg starter Sam Morland went six innings. Taylor Young earned
the save in one inning of relief in the seventh.
“He pitched a great game,” Young said of Morland, who had a 7-1
pitching record this season. “He has been one of the more consistent
pitchers to throw strikes this year.”
Newberg moved on in the tournament, only to fall to Clark County.
In the opening inning, Schrieber hit an RBI single to score Hansen.
Later in the inning, Schrieber stole second and third before he
stole home on a wild pitch.
Newberg added four more runs in the fourth. Eli Votaw scored off
Freeman’s RBI double before Nick Hettinga hit a two-RBI double to
score Freeman and Schrieber to pull Newberg within 8-5.
In the fifth, Mark Almquist was hit by a pitch before Morland hit
an RBI single for Newberg’s final run of the game.
The loss eliminated Newberg from placing in the 15-team tournament.
Young said a two week layoff from playing in games, received as a
result of earning the Washington County league’s No. 1 berth to the
tournament, hurt the team.
“I think with the long layover we had definitely brought our
sharpness down,” he said. “I think that even though we would have
been burned out in county play, it would have at least kept (us) in
the mood to play because by the third game, we were tired. I thought
the kids hit well, though. Our pitchers threw well and I think
overall, it was a good year. I was very happy.”
Notes: Freeman led Newberg’s team in batting average (.530),
at-bats (83), hits (44), doubles (10) and tied for the team lead in
RBI with Hansen (25). |
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From
Aug. 1, 2007, Newberg Graphic
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