Tornado splits openers in Invitational

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North Medford catcher Amanda Wolfe winds up to attempt to throw out a runner during the Black Tornado’s game against Jesuit Monday at U.S. Cellular Community Park. North lost 3-1 in the game that was part of the 31-team North Medford Invitational. The tourney continues Tuesday.Larry Stauth Jr.

North Medford softball coach Mike Mayben had wanted to test his team here in the early season, and facing the likes of South Salem and Jesuit Monday morning certainly fulfilled that wish.

The Black Tornado opened the 26th annual North Medford Invitational with a 9-2 win over South Salem, then came up short against Jesuit, 3-1, at U.S. Cellular Community Park in Medford.

South Salem knocked North out of the state playoffs two years ago and the Crusaders did likewise last year. Mayben said both opponents stand to be among the Class 6A's top 10 this season.

North pitcher Taylor Schmidt fired a six-hitter in both games, striking out four with no walks against South Salem and fanning six with three walks against Jesuit.

Amanda Wolfe was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the fourth, to lead the Tornado (2-1) over the Saxons. Jenna Stevens added two hits and two runs, while Schmidt and Hannah Leming also had two hits and McKenna Storey scored twice.

Sara Coates belted a home run to lead South Salem, while Jesuit's Sam Nelson was 2-for-4 in the second-game matchup.

North's lone run against the Crusaders came in the third inning after Schmidt singled and Wolfe's groundout advanced courtesy runner Siera Berryessa. Tejay Schmidt followed with a grounder in the hole that Jesuit's shortstop made a nice play on, but her throw to first was awry and allowed Berryessa to score.

The Tornado returns at 8 a.m. today to face Foothills of California and then plays Sprague at 10.

With 31 participating teams, the two-day tournament utilizes all five fields, with games set every two hours from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. For a complete schedule, go to playmedford.com and click on the U.S. Cellular Community Park link.

North Medford 004 301 1 — 9 9 1

South Salem 010 001 0 — 2 6 2

Ta. Schmidt and Wolfe; White and Peterson. W — Ta. Schmidt (2-0). L — White. 2B — NM: Stevens, Storey, Wolfe; SS: Bliss. HR — SS: Coates.

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North Medford 001 000 0 — 1 4 3

Jesuit 001 110 x — 3 6 3

Ta. Schmidt and Wolfe; Najdek and Lowe. W — Najdek. L — Ta. Schmidt (2-1). 3B — J: Lowe.

CRATER SPLITS — Kayla Hopkinson blasted a three-run home run to help Crater beat Putnam 9-4. The Comets then lost to Sunset 11-1 in five innings in the North Medford Invitational.

Hopkinson's blast was part of a six-run second inning for Crater (1-1) against Putnam. Taylor Mackey also added three RBIs on a 3-for-3 effort, while Brittany Reeves posted 10 strikeouts and stranded eight runners to earn the victory.

Hopkinson added an RBI single to plate Dennae Grant in the first inning against Sunset, which scored five unearned runs thanks to five errors by the Comets.

Putnam 100 020 1 — 4 4 2

Crater 261 000 x — 9 8 4

Ankeny and Morrison; Reeves and Haga. W — Reeves (1-0). L — Ankeny. 2B — C: Murphy. HR — C: Hopkinson (1).

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Crater 100 00 — 1 4 5

Sunset 208 1x — 11 9 1

Murphy, Reeves (3) and Haga; Miller and Hankee. W — Miller. L — Murphy (0-1). 2B — S: Umshied 3, Delbayos.

EAGLE POINT SPLITS — Glencoe tagged Eagle Point with a 6-1 loss in its opening game of the North Medford Invitational, but the Eagles rebounded for a 3-2 win over Liberty in Game 2.

Karlie Stephens went 2-for-3 and doubled in courtesy runner Kelsey Pearce against Glencoe. Stephens then came back to allow only three hits by Liberty.

Jennie Fernandes led off the second game with a single and stolen base and Candace Rodgers followed with an RBI double for the Eagles (3-2), who took advantage of six walks.

Eagle Point 010 000 0 — 1 4 2

Glencoe 000 150 x — 6 12 2

Stephens and Dale; Anderson and Dendinger. W — Anderson. L — Stephens (1-2). 2B — EP: Stephens; G: Kreiger 2, Sullivan, Dendinger.

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Liberty 000 011 0 — 2 3 1

Eagle Point 200 010 x — 3 2 0

Baggarley and Woodson; Stephens, Hanson (3), Stephens (5) and McCready. W — Stephens (2-2). L — Baggarley. 2B — EP: Rodgers.

PHOENIX SPLITS — Chandler Tally's bases-clearing triple highlighted a seven-run outburst in the fifth to propel Phoenix to an 8-7 win over Rainier in its opening game of the North Medford Invitational.

The Pirates (5-1) fell short in a second game against Newport, 6-5.

Kirstin Stroud picked up the pitching victory and her first home run of the season against Rainier, while Carlee Storey had two hits and Tally three RBIs.

Against Newport, sophomore Adrienne Engle was 3-for-3 and Storey added a two-run double in the sixth inning before Phoenix's rally fell short.

Phoenix 001 070 0 — 8 8 0

Rainier 202 100 2 — 7 10 0

Stroud and Heath; Crape, R. Hanks (6) and Jackson. W — Stroud (4-0). L — Crape. 2B — P: Welburn; R: C. Hanks, R. Hanks. 3B — P: Tally; R: C. Hanks, Schwegler. HR — P: Stroud (1); R: Jackson.

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Phoenix 001 202 0 — 5 10 0

Newport 141 000 x — 6 9 4

Berman, Stroud (2) and Heath; Losler, Hogan (4) and Hogan, Johnson (4). W — Losler. L — Berman (0-1). 2B — P: Storey, White, Stroud; N: Craycraft, Hogan, Anderson. HR — N: Hogan.

ASHLAND SPLITS — At Bend, Amanda Good's two-run single in the bottom of the seventh gave Ashland a 5-4 win over Redmond. Summit then beat the Grizzlies 5-4 on the first day of the Central Oregon Invitational.

Against Redmond, Ashland's (5-2) Good and Hayley Ross each had two hits. The Grizzlies' Carley Santee, Piper Cantrell and Nicole Lehman all had two hits against Summit.

Redmond 002 002 0 — 4 10 1

Ashland 001 001 3 — 5 6 1

Bosake and Linquist; Pribyl, Ross (6) and Santee. W — Ross (1-0). L — Bosake. 2B — R: — Fread, Mather. 2B — A: Ross.

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Ashland 100 120 0 — 4 10 2

Summit 002 010 2 — 6 9 0

Pribyl, Ross (4) and Santee, Lehman (4); Freeman and Hite. W — Freeman. L — Ross (1-1). 2B — A: Marston; S: Freeman. HR — S: Chriss, Sweet.

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