Head coach Keith Wallin and the Bruin boys varsity baseball team hosted the South Umpqua Lancers Tuesday afternoon to start a 3 game series, to be completed in Myrtle Creek this Friday afternoon.
After salvaging a win to split the series 1-2 with the powerful Cascade Christian team, the Bruins sent senior right-hander Jason DeShon, #16 to the mound in an effort Bruins off to a winning start in this first game of the three game series. DeShon struck out the first batter he faced, before giving up a first pitch solo home-run leading to a 3 run top of the first for the Lancers. The Bruin offense would work Ethan Orman around the basepaths to score with 2 two outs to the bottom of the first, making the score 1-3 Bruins after one.
The Lancers would load the bases in the top of the second, but DeShon would strike-out one before the Bruin defense would get the Bruins off the field holding the Lancer scoreless. The Bruins would get their lead-off on to start the bottom half of the second, only to have Lancer pitching strike out the side swinging to end the Bruin threat.
DeShon would strike-out one in the top of third, as the Bruin defense stepped up to stop a Lancer offensive with Bruin catcher Spencer Rosenberg throwing out a Lancer base stealer and a shortstop, #15 Seth Valliere tag to end the Lancer half of the third inning. The Bruins would take advantage of a Lancer fielding error to move Kyle Burger, #5, around the basepaths to score for the Bruins and close the gap to 2-3 Lancers after three.
In the Lancer half of the fourth inning, DeShon would strike-out three, but, he would also walk three, and the Lancers would take advantage, scoring 1 to extend their lead to 2-4. Again the Bruins would work the count in their favor and get their lead-off, Valliere, on base with a Lancer walk, but South Umpqua pitching would retire the side in order after the walk, stranding a run to end the fourth inning.
With the Lancer batting order now seeing DeShon pitches for the time, South Umpqua put together four straight singles, loading the bases and scoring 2 before the Bruins could record the first out in inning, extending their lead to 2-6. Trailing by 4 to start their half of the fifth, but despite earning two walks to get two runners on the basepaths, the Bruin offense would fail to capitalize, and go into the sixth trailing by 4.
Kyle Burger, #5, who came in mid-way through the fifth to relieve DeShon at pitcher, faced a stubborn Lancer line-up determined to get baserunners on, and get two out before a single to right field would score an earlier walk to put the Lancers up 2-7. The bottom of the sixth would start promising for the Bruin offense with a single a walk to start if off and put a man in scoring position with no outs, but the next three batters would be retired in order to end the inning 2-7 Lancers.
Both sides would end the seventh inning in order, and South Umpqua Lancers, who’s only 3 losses come at the hands of Cascade Christian, took the first game of the series 2-7, handing the Bruins their fourth loss of the season. The Bruins will look to return the favor and finish the series strong in Myrtle Creek this Friday, with the first game of the double-header scheduled for 3:00pm.
