>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

ELGIN — Union coach Greg Poor was faced with a dilemma: Who starts in the district title game, who follows if another game has to be played?

As a result, Poor kept No.1 starter Austin Woodward off the mound in the title game versus Elgin, saving him for the second game.

And Poor’s plan worked.

“You hope for game one, you plan for two,” Poor said.

“It’s one of those dilemmas. “You know you gotta shot, but knowing that you may have to play two (games).

“We got the second one, it would’ve been nice to get the first.”

Woodward made his coach look brilliant, leading his Bobcats into the OSAA tournament with a No. 2 seed after defeating Joseph, 8-0.

Woodward threw a two-hitter, striking out six batters while walking one on 83 pitches.

And he belted two home runs at the plate, finishing 2-3 with 4 RBIs.

“When he’s focused and positive,” Poor said, “he’s capable of doing some great things.”

Woodward wasn’t by himself, either. Kyle Langford went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, and senior Matt Smith belted his first home run of his high school career.

“We had some kids really step up and hit the ball well,” Poor said. “We played really good defense.”

Cody Billman snagged a line drive at third base, and Kaden Titus caught a line drive behind the bag at second base, that left Poor impressed.

“I don’t know how (Titus) got it,” said the Union coach. “It was a shot. That was a top-10 play right there.”

With this shutout victory, Union will play at Nestucca May 20.

So after shaky performances in the title game versus Elgin, leading to 10 errors and eight unearned runs, these ‘Cats battled back, putting themselves into OSAA action.

“I was really impressed with how they came back,” Poor said. “No one was hanging their heads. They fought back.

“We just played an excellent game all the way around.”

Union              006 101 0  —  8 5 0

Joseph            000 000 0 —   0 2 2

WP — Woodward.

HR — U, Woodward, Smith.

Joseph defeats Imbler

ELGIN — It was the top of the eighth. The Panthers’ Taylor McIntosh stood at the plate, readying for an incoming pitch by Joseph starter Corby Makin.

The game was tied, 4-4. McIntosh already had two home runs on the day, and was hoping for No. 3.

Here came the pitch. And there it went, deep into the outfield. Back, back, back ...

Caught. At the fence. Joseph outfielder Gavin Baynes robbed McIntosh from another home run, his team responded in  their ensuing at-bat, and Joseph defeated Imbler, 5-4 in eight innings.

“(Baynes) made a great play and caught it,” Imbler coach Monty McIntosh said. “Another foot, that might have been out.”

Instead, Joseph scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth, helped by two Imbler errors.

Makin and Imbler starter Joe Coughlan each tossed complete games.

“That’s pretty impressive for high school kids,” McIntosh said. “It was a great baseball games for both teams.”

So that’s it for six Imbler seniors. Jake Noyes, Nick Thompson, Sean Peterson, Tyler VanLeuven, Taylor McIntosh and Coughlan will depart to graduation. But there’s a lot of young kids left, who saw lots of playing time this season.

“It will help them a lot in the future,” McIntosh said. “I’m proud of (all of) them, they had a good season.”

Imbler    000 220 00    —    4 5 4

Joseph    020 020 01    — 5 10 3

WP — Makin. LP — Coughlan.

2B — J, Neil (2), Masters; I, Crader.HR — I, McIntosh (2).