Clatskanie baseball rebounds from losses

Following its two losses to Umpqua Valley Christian and South Umpqua, the Clatskanie varsity baseball team reeled off two straight wins versus Myrtle Point and Waldport. The twin 10-0 victories brought the Tigers back over the .500 mark, as they prepare for league competition, which begins Tuesday, April 15, at home against Portland Christian.

The team’s most recent loss came Thursday, March 27, at the hands of South Umpqua during a spring break tournament at One Champion Field in Roseburg. Five defensive errors for the Tigers proved costly, as the Lancers took the lead in the top of the third and piled on in the fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach. The Tigers were led at the plate by DH Victor Frank, who knocked in a run, scored a run, and collected two hits. Shortstop Cash Doney, centerfielder Zach Mollenhour and Carter White also knocked in a run for the Tigers, while second baseman Bode Shulda had two hits and scored a run in the loss.

The following day in the tournament, Clatskanie would be the team jumping out to the early start. Scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers would add three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings and a final run in the sixth to win the game 10-0. First baseman Will Van Voorst and third baseman Brendan Shroll led the Tigers with two RBI, a hit, and a run scored each, while centerfielder Luke Andreasen led the team with two runs scored to go along with his hit and RBI. Shroll and Andreasen led the team on the base paths with two swiped bags apiece, followed by one by Doney. Mollenhour led the Tigers from the mound with six strikeouts over five innings while walking two and allowing no earned runs, followed by Andreasen, who struck out one batter and walked another over an inning pitched.

Last Thursday, April 3, the Tigers jumped on Waldport for five runs in the top of the second inning, added another three runs in the fourth, and tacked on two more in the sixth en route to the 10-0 shutout. Van Voorst led the Tigers with three RBI, two hits and a run scored. Frank knocked in two runs as well while scoring a run on one hit, and Finn McDonnell led the team with two runs scored. Andreasen, Mollenhour, and Doney each knocked in a run, and Russell Carver, Andreasen, and Van Voorst had a stolen base apiece for the Tigers.

Clatskanie (3-2) will take on Neah-Kah-Nie Friday, April 11 before returning home Tuesday, April 15 against Portland Christian at 4:30 p.m.