By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SCIO, Ore.–  Blanchet Catholic and Scio both traded blows with one another in Tuesday’s PacWest Conference match-up at Scio High School.  A game that saw the Loggers pull away with a big bang of an inning to hand the Cavaliers just their second loss of the season 11-7.

Blanchet would strike first in the top half of the first inning only to see the Loggers spot them a two-spot in the bottom half of the second to lead 2-1.  Blanchet answered with a three-run third inning to regain the lead before Scio retorted with a three-run bottom of the fourth inning to take a 5-4 lead going into the fifth inning.

This looked like a similar version of the Loggers squad that went 12-4 last Spring.  Mentally staying with it and answering plays with their own plays, timing out hits against a strong Blanchet defense to keep the Cavs within arm’s reach.

“It was fun because neither team had a dominate lead until we scored that one inning.  It kept things interesting that’s for sure,” the Loggers Kevin Erikson said. 

“It’s a good wake-up call for us and we’ll be ready for Friday (against Yamhill-Carlton),” adds Blanchet’s Sam Schindler.  “It was definitely a wake-up call.  We need to hit more line-drives, those pop-ups aren’t going to do it, make them field the ball.  We’ll get on top of that at practice this week.”

Despite the week-plus off due to weather and the Easter holiday, Blanchet worked through the rust Tuesday.  Eventually taking a 7-5 lead in the top half of the sixth inning off of RBI singles from Griffen Mucken and Drew Bartles, Schindler brought in a run-off a bases loaded walk.

But, like the trend of the contest, the lead was short-lived.  And boy did Scio bring out the buzzsaw in the bottom half of the sixth.

The Loggers loaded up the bases with no-outs only to see Cody Roofener (RBI Fielder’s Choice), Dustin Erickson (2RBI single), Braeden McIntyre (RBI Ground-out) and a Kevin Erickson 2RBI double swing momentum in favor of the home team.

“It was a real motivator.  A big one,” Kevin Erickson said of the sixth inning.  “We haven’t done that very much this year, we’ve been going up against really good teams, so they normally keep us at a couple runs an inning.  But getting six is pretty good.

“Hopefully we can keep going and keep hitting better.  Fielding better, I know I made a few problematic catches with drops.  So hopefully we can just improve and lower that seven (runs).”

Kevin Erickson led the team with 3RBI’s while Bryan Parazoo and Dustin Erickson each had 2RBI’s apiece in the win to lead a Scio offense that produced 15 hits.  Kevin Erickson and Roofener each had three of the hits.  The Loggers host Horizon Christian of Tualatin on Friday.

Schindler led Blanchet with 3RBI’s and starting pitcher Carson McNally struck out four in three innings as the Cavs travel to Yamhill-Carlton on Friday.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald