South Medford rolls over GP

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GRANTS PASS — Offseason changes are paying dividends for South Medford's baseball team.

But Panthers coach Tom Britton says there's still room for improvement — especially in a league as top-heavy as the Southwest Conference.

On Thursday, the Panthers compiled six runs in the second inning and built an 8-0 lead over Grants Pass en route to a 12-5 nonconference victory.

"It's a new coaching staff, new system," said Britton, the second-year coach who has new assistants. "Up to this point, compared to where we were last year, we're a lot more advanced. We're playing more to our potential. Last year we never played to the level we could play. We just never got into sync."

The Panthers (7-3), who are undefeated in Oregon — they lost thrice in last week's Arizona Tournament — jumped on Grants Pass lefty Brock Dean for five RBI singles in the second frame. The other run was scored on an error.

The margin inflated to 8-0 on Bo Walker's two-out two-run double the following inning.

Brandon Drury responded for the Cavemen (5-2) with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the fourth. After Buddy Saxon drew a walk, David Chaldu tacked on another GP run with an RBI triple.

It wasn't until the sixth inning that the Panthers took control.

A.J. Palazzolo smashed his third homer of the season — a two-run run shot — giving South Medford an 11-3 cushion.

In his second pitching start, Griff Boyd worked five quality innings to get his first win. He gave up two runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Palazzolo was 2-for-2 and scored four times, Steve Lines was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs and Brett Reordan collected a pair of hits and drove in a run.

South opens SWC play against South Eugene at Harry & David Field at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

South Medford 062 012 1 — 12 12 5

Grants Pass 000 212 0 — 5 8 2

Boyd, M. Smith (6) and Williamson; Dean, Madrigal (3) and Saxon. W — Boyd (1-1). L — Dean. 2B — SM: Lines; GP: Drury. 3B — GP: Chaldu. HR — SM: Palazzolo; GP: Drury, Sells.

NORTH MEDFORD 9, EAGLE POINT 0 — At Eagle Point, North Medford senior pitcher Andrew Jones blanked Eagle Point on two hits as the top-ranked Black Tornado (8-0) got its fourth straight shutout.

North pitchers have allowed three earned runs in 57 innings.

Jones, who took a perfect game into the fifth inning, struck out six and didn't walk a batter.

Ben Charlton broke up Jones' no-hitter with a one-out single in the fifth. Darin Adams' two-out, seventh-inning single was the other hit for the Eagles (3-4).

Jordan Bostwick's two-run triple keyed a three-run fourth inning for North (8-0), which capitalized on eight Eagle Point errors.

North Medford 003 303 0 — 9 5 0

Eagle Point 000 000 0 — 0 2 8

Jones and Sowers; R. Smith, G. Davis (3), Hodgkins (4), B. Smith (5), Tuttle (6), F. Charlton (6) and Hodgkins, Adams (4). W — Jones (3-0). L — G. Davis (0-1). 2B — EP: Adams. 3B — NM: Bostwick.

ROSEBURG 10, THURSTON 0 — At Roseburg, Matt Thomson and Dakota Cavens combined for a six-inning, four-hit shutout with seven strikeouts for Roseburg (4-2).

A.J. Royal sparked the Indians' attack with two hits, three RBIs and two runs scored. Mitch Huff and Jordan Guthrie contributed two hits each and Tyler Bullock had three RBIs.

Thurston 000 000 — 0 4 3

Roseburg 120 034 x — 10 11 1

Bodeen, White (5) and Spencer; Thomson, Cavens (6) and Guthrie. W — Thomson (2-0). L — Bodeen. 2B — R: Royal.

HIDDEN VALLEY 11, DEL NORTE 1 — At Grants Pass, Hidden Valley was 11-for-20 with five doubles in the five-inning win, its fifth straight.

Junior right-hander Mike Suthann tossed a two-hitter for the Mustangs (7-1), striking out four without surrendering a run. Del Norte's score came on an error in the first inning.

Eddie Lord, Dylan Albertson and Clint Sager all had two hits for the Mustangs.

Del Norte 100 00 — 1 2 2

Hidden Valley 115 04 — 11 11 2

Tyler and Stroup; Suthann and Sager. W — Suthann (2-0). L — Tyler. 2B — HV: Lord 2, Hayden, Albertson, Bellenbaum.

Softball

BUTTE FALLS 10, PHOENIX JV 0 — At Butte Falls, Arica Stephens batted in four runs and Brianna Wright pitched four scoreless innings in the five-inning win for Butte Falls.

Wright, pitching in her first game this season, struck out six and gave up one hit.

Stephens went 2-for-3 for the Loggers (7-2, 1-1 Dist. 5), who scored five runs in the third.

Phoenix JV 000 00 — 0 1 7

Butte Falls 105 31 — 10 4 1

Berman and Terry; Wright, Sutfin (5) and Kirkpatrick. W — Wright. L — Berman. 2B — BF: Stephens.

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