Just over two months ago the 2023 spring sports programs and the Bruin varsity baseball team started their journey reaching deep into post-season play after going on a 12 game win streak.
Last weeks convincing win over Pleasant Hill Friday afternoon sent the Bruins on to the semi-finals against the #1 ranked Cascade Christian Challengers early Tuesday evening in Medford.
The Challengers sent senior right-hander Owen Thompson to the mound to the start the game with hopes of holding the offensively hot Bruins off the base paths early. An eager Bruins offense could only manage a Kyle Burger single with two outs before Challenger pitching ended the Bruin threat.
Bruin junior, Austin Dietrich, #13, took the hill for the Bruins and settled in quickly, retiring the Cascade Christian lead-off with an infield fly before striking out the next two batters he faced, sending the game to the second tied 0-0.
The middle of the Bruin line-up came to life in the top of the second, starting with a one out stand-up triple by senior Kallen Christensen, #12, who would later score the Bruins first run of the game on a #24, Cameron Hendrix sacrifice. Austin Dietrich, then shut the Challengers down, striking them out in order, preserving the 0-1 Bruin lead.
In the third, the Bruin offense sent six batters to the plate, loading the bases, but the Challengers worked their way out of the Bruin threat, escaping with the Bruins stranding three. Cascade Christian then got to Bruin pitching the second time through their order, as a passed ball and wild pitch helped the Challengers get three runs across the plate in the inning, establishing a 3-1 lead going into the fourth.
In the top of the fourth, the Bruins would go down in order on eight pitches, sending a now charged Cascade Christian to the plate with momentum, and the lead. The Challengers worked the lead-off on base with a walk, and the wheels fell off the proverbial train as Cascade Christian sent ten players to the plate, and adding four more runs.
Now trailing 1-7, the Bruins would get runners on first and second with one out after Seth Valliere earned a walk and a Spencer Rosenberg line frive to left, but again Cascade Christian would work their out of the Bruin threat. A Cascade Christian homerun would start the Challengers half of the 5th, before they would go on to add three more runs, before ending the game in the sixth.
Congratulations to head coach Keith Wallin and the Bruins on an excellent run to the semi-finals and a great 2023 season.
