By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore.–  It wasn’t Sprague’s day as the Olympians saw their seven-game winning streak snapped to Lakeridge Thursday afternoon 7-0.

The Pacers had paced the game with three first inning runs before Sprague halted Lakeridge’s offense in the second and third innings.  The Olys had a crack in the early going putting pressure on their host on this evening as Lukas Elkins drew a walk and Brandon Stinnett singled, eventually working their way into scoring position at third and second base respectively during the third inning before the Pacers shut down the threat.  

Lakeridge’s bats continued their barrage, breaking through with a pair in each of the fourth and fifth innings in the continuous rain with Sprague hoping to bounce back Friday at Lake Oswego.  Hoping to use the 7-0 defeat as a good learning experience and not something to dwell on entering their next game.

“In this situation, we just got to flush this game and be ready for the next.  We did good stuff throughout this game, the outcome didn’t go as we wanted it. We just got to move onto the next one,” said Elkins.  “As a team I know we can do this, we’re strong and have a good connection.  I know we can do it, it’ll be big for us.”

With one more non-league game Friday at Lake Oswego before their Central Valley Conference opener against West Salem, they’re hoping one more tough test in the series of tough tests that they’ve had to this point in non-league will set them up for the second part of the regular season.

“Last year when we felt like we got to the playoffs, the second round (against West Linn), that was the first time we’ve seen an arm like that all year.  So seeing that this early in the year and we’ll see some of it again in league play, it’ll be big so when we get tto the playoffs and that second/third round when we see arms like that again, we’ll be ready for it,” Grant Strother said.  “This year we’re playing the best of the best.  When you play a tough schedule like this, you’ll have some losses.  But back at it again tomorrow.”

Eli Lowe struck out three in four innings to start the game, Isaiah Sullivan pitched two innings of no-hit baseball in relief with a strikeout and Taylor Brenneman contributed a hit offensively.  First pitch against the Lakers will be at 5pm at Lake Oswego High School.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald