After dropping the first game of the series to a very well disciplined South Umpqua team earlier in the week, the Bruin boys varsity baseball team took to the road on a wet Friday to finish the 3 game series in a double header at Roseburg’s Stewart Park.
With an early 10:00am start, the Bruins started the game getting their lead-off on after seeing 6 pitches and earning a walk. But Lancer pitching would continue to control at Bruin at bats, sitting down the next three batters in order to end any Bruin threat. Junior right-hander Kyle Burger, #5, was on the hill for the Bruins and a double, a sacrifice fly and passed ball would allow the Lancers to work a run around and take an early 0-1 lead.
The Bruins would get their lead-off on again in the second, only to have the following three batters strike-out in order, stranding another run on the basepaths. The Lancers would earn two walks in their half of the second and score another run to take a 0-2 lead.
In the top of the fourth, the Bruins Austin Dietrich would get on after a Lancer error, and a Christensen single to right would score Dietrich to get the Bruins on the board and Burger held South Umpqua scoreless in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
The Bruins would tie the score in the top of the sixth after senior Jason Deshon, #16, singled, and worked his way around the basepaths to score off of a sacrifice bunt and a Christensen single. But a late Bruin error in the bottom of the sixth would put one on, and a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice flyball would score the Lancer runner, to take the win 2-3. Kyle Burger would throw a full 6 inning game, allowing 3 runs off of two hits and striking out 4.
In the second game of the double-header, the Bruins Seth Valliere started the offense with a single on a line drive to left field after seeing 6 Lancer pitches. But again the Bruins would fail to advance the runner. Head coach Keith Wallin sent junior right-hander Seth Valliere, #15, to the mound to face the Lancer line-up and Valliere would retire the side in order with 10 pitches.
Both teams would struggle offensively in the first three innings of play, going into the fourth inning tied 0-0. The Brookings offense would wake up in the fourth, working 12 pitches out to the Lancer hurler, and getting two on with walks. A Diego Turner sacrifice bunt and a Christensen grounder would score 2 and the Bruins would take a 2-0 lead. Valliere would again retire the side in order off of 11 pitches to send the game to the fifth with the Bruins holding on to a 2-0 lead.
A three base Lancer error off of an Ethan Orman, #22, fly ball to right field would eventually score Orman after an Austin Dietrich single. The 3 runs would prove to be all the Bruins would need to secure the second game of the double-header, after a late 2 run rally by the Lancers would fall short. Seth Valliere would go 7 innings, allowing 2 runs off of 3 hits, striking out 1.
