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Union softball and baseball make title games
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Union will return to Salem Friday for the championships played at the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Stadium. Austin Woodward connected on a solo home run in the fourth inning to give Union a 1-0 lead. Jeremy Moore hit a three-run double in the top of the seventh inning to clinch the victory for the Bobcats.“I just have an unbelievable feeling right now,” Union head coach Greg Poor said. “It’s a great feeling. “When Jeremy hit that ball I felt a lot of pride to see a kid with that kind of pressure step up like that. It’s amazing and it says a lot about his character.” The Crusaders (18-6) entered the game as the No. 4 team in the state and Union was No. 2. The top two teams in the classification made Friday’s final with the Bobcats’ victory and top-ranked Umpqua Valley Christian’s 8-1 win over No. 3 Portland Christian. It’s only fitting that the Bobcats finish the season playing the team they began the season with. Union defeated UVC, 11-1, March 20 at the Bank of Eastern Oregon Ice Breaker in John Day. The Bobcats’ (21-1) only loss of the season came that same day to Amity, 9-7. Since then Union has won 20 straight games. “Salem Academy is a tough team,” Poor said. “I thought (Nick) Souza did a real nice job on the mound for them. He has a good fast ball and a wicked curve ball. “We just started putting the bat on the ball and were able to score. I’m happy we’re past them.”
Union 000 100 3 - 4 6 2 Salem Academy 000 010 0 - 1 8 2 W - Woodward. L - Souza. 2B- U, Kimball, Moore. HR - Woodward.
Lady Cats return to state championship game
RIDDLE — A brief scare couldn’t derail the Bobcats from defending its state softball title. Union edged Riddle 4-2 in the semifinals Tuesday, sending the team back to the state title game. “We were a little rattled at first,” Union head coach Paul Phillips said. “They got a quick run on us, and it took the girls a little while to recover. “It was like a boxing match. We got hit. It staggered us for a little bit. But then the girls hit back.” After falling behind in the first inning, Union manufactured a run in the top of the second. A walk and a stolen base moved Ali Anderson to second base. After a bunt Chelsea Wyant hit a sacrifice fly. “Stevie (Hooley) did a great job keeping us off balance,” Phillips said. “She didn’t throw the ball by us, but she located really well. There were girls striking out today that don’t typically do that.” Hooley struck out 10 and walked two batters in seven innings pitched. Riddle reclaimed the lead with a run in the fourth inning. Union finally broke through in the sixth inning. Jordann Roberts led off the inning with a double. However, the inning looked to be coming to a quick end, with two straight outs. Anderson drew a two-out walk. Chelsea Poe singled home Roberts. Anderson scored on an overthrow at third base. Wyant capped the inning, scoring Poe on a fielding error. In the bottom half of the sixth the game went into a 30-minute rain delay. “That kind of halted our momentum,” Phillips said. “Once the girls got the lead, though, they weren’t going to give it up.” Jessy Reynolds picked up the win, striking out 13 batters. Union will play Irrigon at the Oregon State softball complex Friday in Corvallis. The Bobcats defeated Irrigon 2-0 in a five-inning game April 23. The Knights defeated Gaston 3-1 in the other semifinal game. OSAA Class 2A/1A semifinals Union 010 003 0 - 4 4 2 Riddle 100 100 0 - 2 5 0 W - Reynolds. L - Hooley. 2B- U, Roberts; R, Hanson. |
