By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.–  The South Salem baseball team showed some glimpses of what they are capable of once they figure it all out.

Playing Sherwood Thursday days after falling behind 7-0 to North Medford, just to defeat the Black Tornado 10-7, the Saxons had loaded up the bases with an out on the board down 11-6.

It was a weird game for South Salem.  They matched the three-spot that the Bowmen put on them with a three-spot of their own going into the second inning of Sherwood’s 13-6 win on this day.

Over the next two innings, the Saxons struggled to duplicate that first inning success as they fell behind 8-3 to the Bowmen.

“I think our energy was what helped us score a lot of runs in the beginning with three-runs in the first inning and I felt like that carried throughout the game.  I just feel like we need to make a couple more plays in the infield-outfield, going after more first-strike pitches,” Gavin Price said.  “But overall, I felt like it was a good game.”

It’s been a growing year for South Salem so far this non-league, new faces with the older kids and trying to get them in the right spot come Mountain Valley Conference play on April 16 with Summit.

Each game, whether if it’s against a Jesuit, a Liberty or a Sherwood; each game gives the Saxons that extra nugget so by MVC-play they’re ready to roll.

“The goal is, by the time that league starts, we’re good to go.  I think we have one of the toughest schedules in the State and I think that’s been really good for us because we’re playing a lot of teams who are really good,” Head Coach Max Price said. “I know Sherwood is a really good quality team and obviously we’ve seen other ones.

“So you learn a lot of small nuggets and learn some big stuff too.  The idea is that by league starts and we’re into that, we’re running on all gears.  We’re young and experienced and these are really good experiences to have.”

Daschel Smith (sacrifice hit) and Cole Weiland (sacrifice fly) drove in a run apiece with South Salem drawing to within three of the Bowmen going to the fifth inning.  The 8-5 score came on the heels of back-to-back zeros by the Saxon defense before Sherwood scored three-times to rebuild their lead.

Gavin Price hit a lead-off home run in the sixth with the South Salem offense loading up the bases with an out on the board. 

But the Bowmen defense, then up 11-6, shut down the threat with Sherwood’s Connor Parry picking up two of his four strikeouts in back-to-back fashion to end the sixth inning as the Bowmen made sure that the Saxons didn’t get any closer to the lead in Thursday’s game.

Caleb Mitchell led South Salem with 2RBI’s on 2-for-4 hitting.  Braedy Vogt went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Saxons.  Brennan Wing went 3-for-5 with 2RBI’s, Wing and Nick Gribble each had home runs in the game for Sherwood.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald