PREP BASEBALL: Black Tornado pushes win streak to 11
North Medford’s baseball team ran its winning streak to 11 games Saturday with a pair of victories over visiting Crater, 12-2 in six innings and 3-2.
The Black Tornado (12-2) again got strong pitching from seniors Cody Borraggine and Gavin Schmidt, with each allowing six hits in complete-game efforts that included 10 strikeouts for Borraggine and eight by Schmidt.
“The kids are playing good,” said North Medford head coach Kerry Curtis, whose team secured the No. 1 seed in next week’s Southern Oregon Conference tournament. “Our pitchers are throwing the ball well and I’m just real proud of what they’re all doing. They’re working hard and doing a good job for us.”
Koda Passey highlighted the opener with a two-run triple in the third inning that helped break the contest open. Tyler Dunlevy chipped in by going 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI for the Tornado.
Crater’s Brandon Tibbils had an RBI double and finished with two hits in Game 1, with Damon Kindreich also driving in a run.
Borraggine went 2-for-4 and scored on a double by Schmidt, while Frankie Rutligliano was 2-for-3 with one RBI in Game 2 for North.
The Tornado scored all three of its runs in the first inning before freshman Hayden Kindreich settled in for a complete game for Crater, striking out three. Hunter Chubb and Tibbils each drove in a run for the Comets.
FIRST GAME
Crater011000—262
North Medford123402—1290
Hill, Eldred (4) and Lundeen; Borraggine and Robbins. W — Borraggine (5-0). L — Hill. 2B — C: Tibbils; NM: King, Rutigliano. 3B — NM: Passey.
SECOND GAME
Crater0000020—262
North Medford300000x—392
H. Kindreich and Morgan; Schmidt and Robbins. W — Schmidt (4-2). L — H. Kindreich. 2B — C: Schwab, Tibbils; NM: Schmidt.
SOUTH MEDFORD 7-11, GRANTS PASS 3-5: South Medford junior Carson Joe struck out eight and allowed only four hits in a complete game in the opener, which the Panthers broke open with six runs in the first inning on two hits, three errors and five walks at Harry & David Field.
Tanner Douglas had an RBI single and Kaleb Barney added an RBI triple in the first-inning surge for South Medford (11-3).
In Game 2, South Medford senior Bennett Thompson struck out the first six batters he faced and finished with seven strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. He also went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs.
Also for the Panthers, Douglas was 2-for-4 with one run and three RBIs, Jace Miller 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI, Barney 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI, Cameron Sewell 2-for-3 with one run and Josh Thomas 2-for-4.
For Grants Pass (6-9), Luke Morgan went 2-for-2 with one run in the opener and Troy Osborne was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs in Game 2.
FIRST GAME
Grants Pass1000200—343
South Medford601000x—781
Eide, Osborne (1) and Osborne, Hood (1); Joe and Thompson. W — Joe (4-1). L — Eide. 2B — GP: Haven.
SECOND GAME
Grants Pass0002102—540
South Medford400520x—11133
Durler, Haven (4) and Hood; Thompson, Cope (5) and Sewell, Thompson (6). W — Thompson (3-2). L — Durler. 2B — SM: Miller 2, Thomas. 3B — GP: Osborne 2; SM: Thompson.
ASHLAND 15-11, EAGLE POINT 5-2: At Ashland, Ashland doubled its season win total with the sweep in the final regular season doubleheader at North Mountain Park.
In the opener, Ashland (4-10) erupted for 12 runs in the fourth and fifth innings to decide it on the mercy rule.
Nathan Carter went 2-for-3 and drove in four runs for the Grizzlies. He laced an RBI double to left field in the fifth inning.
Cruz Dreiling and Jackson Kemper were each 2-for-3 for Ashland, and Sean Thompson scored four runs and drove in two while going 1-for-3. Zach Mendivil scored twice and drove in a run.
Pitcher Dreiling limited the Eagles (3-11) to five hits, striking out five and walking five.
In Game 2, three Ashland pitchers held Eagle Point to five hits, and the offense did the rest.
Carter drove in three runs and scored twice while going 1-for-3 with a double. Dillon Amway was 2-for-3 with three runs. Kemper had a hit and scored two runs.
Eagle Point’s Louis Uribe was 2-for-3 with a run.
FIRST GAME
Eagle Point05000—555
Ashland10275—15102
Lund, Fazio (4), Dole (5) and Meade; Dreiling and Kemper. W — Dreiling. L — Lund. 2B — A: Carter.
SECOND GAME
Eagle Point0000200—257
Ashland203411x—1174
Rapp, Uribe (1) and Dole, Jackson (2); Nixon, Brabec (5), Anway (7) and Dreiling, Schrader (6). W — Nixon. L — Rapp. 2B — EP: Uribe; A: Carter.
ROGUE RIVER 9-14, ILLINOIS VALLEY 2-4: At Rogue River, Rogue River scored all its runs in Game 2 in the first three innings of the five-inning contest that finished the sweep.
The Chieftains (9-6) had only five hits but benefited from six Illinois Valley (5-8) errors.
Ethan Devish had an RBI and scored two runs for Rogue River, and Caden Tognoni scored twice.
In the first game, the Chieftains scored seven runs in the sixth inning to seal the victory.
Tognoni went the distance, allowing five hits, striking out 10 and walking three.
Mark Bandy was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, and James Geiger was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
FIRST GAME
Illinois Valley0100100—254
Rogue River000117x—933
Jolley, Beals (6) and Demuth; Tognoni and Smith. W — Tognoni. L — Jolley.
SECOND GAME
Illinois Valley01030—426
Rogue River5720x—1454
Conrad, Deters (3) and Jolley; Bandy, Stillwagner (3) and Smith. W — Bandy. L — Conrad.