Down to the last night in Midwestern League baseball and Thurston needed everything to fall in line to make the 5A state playoffs. To advance the Colts had to beat cross-town Springfield at Springfield , and hope for Churchill to knock off Willamette in a West Eugene contest. , On a very windy evening at Hamlin Field, Thurston took care of off business by topping the Millers 3-1. Unfortunately the Colts received no help at Churchill as Willamette edged the Lancers 4-3 giving the Wolverines the third and final playoff spot (with North Eugene and Churchill) and leaving Thurston on the outside looking in.
The Colts played a gritty game with Brooks Chapman turning in a strong performance on the mound and getting the 3 hit, 0 earned runs, win. The defense played much bettor this game, committing only two errors in what at times were very difficult conditions. Fly balls swirled around as if they were attached to parachutes. Granted the one Springfield error was unearned, but the ball that was dropped started out to be a medium fly to center field, and ended up in a you take, no you take it, no you take it, near collision, between the short stop, the third baseman, and the left fielder.
Not a lot of fireworks on the offensive side as Springfield's pitcher Dane Houser dueled Chapman inning for inning through six and the game went into the seventh tied at 1 run each. Thurston lone run at that point a classic example of the pitcher helping out his own cause. Chapman singled to start the second inning and then advanced to second on a past ball and to third in the same manner. Jordan Branham, one of the hottest Colts at the plate lately, stayed that way and singled in Chapman for the early lead.
The scored stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Millers Joey Palermo-Silence singled to right to become only the second Springfieldbase runner of the game. Palermo-Silence reached second on a sac bunt by Devin Bodeen and scored on the wind blown fly ball described above, to tie the game at one run each.
The Colts came right back in the 7th when Branham walked and Thurston coach Mike Michel inserted the speedy Chris Cassell to pinch run. Cassell advanced to third base on a wild pitch and a past ball. Cassell then scored the go ahead run off of Colin Schauermann's sacrifice fly to left field. Thurston got a little insurance when Danny Urness reached on error, stole second, and scored on Kyle Hoovers single to left.
Chapman set the millers down one, two, three, in the sixth and seventh innings, and all that was left was to wait for word from across I-5. The eventual bad news was hardest on the seniors as it put a short end to their last season. But for the rest of the Colts summer ball is waiting and this young team will surely be hungry for bigger things next year.
Errors are the story again in 8-7 loss to North Eugene
As has been the story for the last two weeks the Colts put enough runs on the board to be successful but can't keep their opponent from scoring more. Just as in Monday's game at Willamette, Thurston's generosity in the field proved to be fatal as six errors produced six unearned runs. The Colts have to wonder if their is a curse on their gloves as every error led to a North run, while on the other side the Highlanders committed three of their own errors, and not one led to a Thurston run as all seven Colts scores were of the earned variety.
Thurston out hit North 11 to 8 on the night, highlighted by Grant Willis' two run blast to left center in the seventh. That home run gave the Colts life in the closing inning as they whittled a 5 run deficit to 1 and then got the tying and winning runs on second and third base. Unfortunately Colin Schauermann could only manage a fly out to right field and the Colts were left with their third loss of the week and a hat full of "what ifs".
Thurston
Gives Up
Runs In
Bunches
In Loss
To
Churchill
5/2/07
Churchill
Hits it
Often
and Hard
in 19 to
11 Win
Over
Colts
It's not
often
that 11
runs
loses a
varsity
baseball
game,
but
tonight
it
wasn't
even
enough
to stay
close.
The
battling
Colts
kept
trying
to hit
there
way to a
Midwestern
League
win but
every
time
they
went
back in
the
field
Churchill
would do
one
bettor,
(or two
or
three).
After
falling
behind 6
to 0 in
the
first
two
innings
Thurston
posted 7
runs in
the
forth
and
seemed
to have
the
Lancers
on their
heels.
Churchill
bounced
right
back for
4
runs in
the
bottom
half of
the
inning
and then
stretched
the lead
to 14 to
7 with 4
more in
the
fifth.
Just as
it
looked
nearly
hopeless
Skip
Spencer
hit a
380 foot
grand
slam to
dead
center to
give the
Colts
new
life.
Still in
the
sixth
inning and no
outs, anything
seemed
possible.
However, that
would be
the end
of the
Thurston
scoring,
and the
Lancers
kept the
pedal to
the
metal
with 5
more
runs in
the bottom
of the
sixth
for the
final
score.
The
Colts
will
likely
need to
win out
in there
last
three
games to
have
hope of
a
playoff
spot.
With
league
leading
North
Eugene
up on
Friday,
Thurston
needs to
get back
to it's
"A" game
in a
hurry.
Colts Boot Away
Control of Their
Own Destiny
4/30/07
Errors Lead to
Loss at Willamette
This writer has
tried to focus on
the positive in
posting game write
ups this year (and
there has been a
lot of positives
with these young
players) but
tonight the story
has to be the
mistakes the Colts
made in setting up
what now will be
a much more
difficult run
to post season
play.
The Thurston
defense, which has
been playing very
well for the last
couple of weeks
was just this side
of a train wreck
tonight in a big
game with
Willamette. With
a chance to put
themselves two
games up on
the Wolverines,
and also gain the
tie breaker
against
Willamette,
Thurston committed
eight errors in
route to a 13 - 7
loss. It seemed
that every time
the Colts got
close, or in one
case took the
lead, their arms
and gloves
betrayed them put
them right back in
a hole.
Thurston's lead
come in the top of
the third inning
when three hits,
three walks, and a
Wolverine error
put the Colt's up
6-4. It would be
short lived
however as
Willamette scored
2 in the bottom of
the inning on 2
hits and three
Thurston errors.
Willamette took
the lead for
good with an error
aided run in
the forth, and
pretty much closed
the door with 6
more in the fifth
(2
errors). Neither
scored in the
sixth inning and
Thurston added a
run in the seventh
for the final
score
Grant Willis (2
for 4, 3 RBI) was
the only Colt with
multiple hits
tonight as
Thurston also had
a rather off night
at the plate and
tallied 13 strike
outs, just one shy
of two per
inning. Danny
Urness and Brooks
Chapman pitched in
with doubles and
that was about it
for highlights.
The Colts are now
tied for the third
and last playoff
spot with
Willamette and
with the
Wolverines having
the tie breaker
Thurston will now
need some help
down the stretch
to advance to post
season.
Thurston needed a win
tonight at Flaten
Field to keep pace in
the Midwestern League
playoff race. They
got it, with sugar on
it, in a pounding of
cross town rival
Springfield.
The Colt hitters
stayed hot for the
third game in as many
nights as they
hammered out 15 hits
in the 13 to 3 six
inning mercy rule win.
Among those hits were
5 doubles, 1 triple
(Danny Urness) and a
solo home run (Grant
Willis' second league
dinger). Every
Thurston starter had
at least one hit on
the night except for
first baseman
Chris Reed who had a
good excuse as he was
walked twice in three
at bats. Kyle Hoover
and Brooks Chapman
each had twice as
much fun as each had
two doubles in the
game.
On the defensive side
the Colts were near
perfect with their
only error coming in
the first inning and
causing no damage as
the runner on third
would have scored on
the ground ball either
way. Short stop Kyle
Hoover made
a beautiful play deep
in the hole to end
the forth inning and
second baseman Colin
Schauermann threw a
perfect strike home to
snuff a Miller double
steal attempt getting
Thurston out of a jam
in the third. After a
couple of shaky games
early in the league
season the slick
fielding duo is
starting to gel going
into the stretch run.
Grant Willis and
Steven Frambes
combined on the mound
with Willis going five
and Frambes finishing
strong for the Colts
in the sixth. Willis
was a little off his
control early with 4
hit batsman in the
first 3 innings but
recovered nicely
allowing only 1
runner after that.
Frambes walked one
and struck out one in
a
pleasingly uneventful
(for Thurston
fans) last inning.
Next up for Thurston
is a trip to
Willamette for
the rubber game in the
season series with the
Wolverines. This is a
game with has huge
implications in the
playoff race as
Thurston and
Willamette came
into tonight's
contests tied for the
last berth.
Steven Frambes
- 1 innings, 0
runs, 0 earned, 1 BB,
1 K
Colts Lose Heartbreaker to
Lancers
4/24/07
The laws of probability took a
night off at Thurston High
School tonight. The Colt
baseballers won every statistic
but the most important one, the
score, in a 4 to 3 loss to
Churchill in a battle for second
place in the Midwestern League.
Thurston out hit, 11-6, out
pitched, 0 walks to 3, and
matched the Lancers in the field
with only one error. The Colts
also put up 3 doubles to
Churchill's 2, but were unable
to capitalize as they left nine
runners on base (seven in
scoring position) while
Churchill only stranded 3.
Dylan Hesse was the unlucky
victim as he pitched a complete
game worthy of a win and ended
up with the loss. Hesse only
allowed one base runner in six
of his seven innings and struck
out six Lancers. But Churchill
put five of their six hits
together in a four run third
inning and Thurston's lone
error prolonged the trouble as
it happened with 2 outs and only
one run in at the time.
The loss drops Thurston to 5 and
4 in league with six games
remaining.
With the Midwestern league just past the
halfway point it seems like every game is
critical. As the race for playoff spots
heats up, it now looks like 4 teams will
battle for the 3 league berths. While
North Eugene (7-1) is attempting to run
away with first place by virtue of their
win over Churchill Monday night, they are
still with in reach of the pack with just
a two game lead and seven to play. The
"pack" now consists of Churchill,
Willamette, and the Colts, all tied for
second at 5 wins and 3 losses.
Monday night Thurston traveled to Coos Bay
to battle with a vary game Marshfield
nine. The Pirates, far bettor than their 1
and 6 record going in, have been a thorn
in the side of most opponents this year.
Marshfield, having beaten Churchill once
and having taken The Colts and NE down to
the last batter in recent games, were a
team not to be taken lightly, and Thurston
has to be pleased to get out of town with
a 10 to 7 victory.
It looked as if it might be easy as The
Colts first four batters scored in the
first inning. Lead off hitter Danny Urness
was hit on a full count pitch, and after
Kyle Hoover singled, Skip Spencer Smashed
a 3 run Homer to dead center field.
Thurston reloaded and scored one more in
the inning when Grant Willis walked,
Brooks Chapman took one off his helmet,
and Andrew Harris singled to center to
score Willis.
Marshfield, true to the way they have
battled adversity this year, was un fazed
by the early Thurston scores. The Pirates
came back with four runs of their own in
the bottom half of the first propelled by
four hits (three doubles) and aided by a
costly 2 out Colt error. Thurston
responded by putting up two runs in each
of the second and third innings and
another run in the fifth to take a 9 to 3
lead into the bottom of the fifth. Again
the Colts looked like they might cruise to
the win as Colt pitcher Brooks Chapman
settled in to allow only one base runner
over the next three innings.
During that run Urness scored twice and
doubled and Spencer stayed hot with a
double and single and another run. Grant
Willis singled twice and scored, while
Colin Schauermann singled once and scored
twice. Brooks Chapman and Chris Reed also
joined the hit parade with singles in the
second and third innings respectively.
Once again the Pirates said it "ain't over
till it's over". Marshfield bats came back
to life in the bottom of the fifth with
three runs on 3 hits, the big one being a
two run dinger to left field by Gatlin
Giorgis. Fortunately for Thurston that
would be the end of the Pirates scoring as
Chapman again showed his poise and settled
in to finished the game with no more
damage.
An insurance run in the sixth when Barrett
Prock doubled in Chapman was frosting on
the cake.
Thurston Statistical Highlights Hitting:
Skip Spencer - 3 for 5, 1 2b, 1 HR, 4 RBI,
2 runs
Grant Willis - 2 for 3, 3 RBI, 1 run
Danny Urness- 1 2b, 3 runs
Barrett Prock - 1 2b, 1 RBI
Jordan Branham - 1 RBI
Andrew Harris - 1 RBI
Colin Schauermann 2 runs
Brooks Chapman 1 run
Kyle Hoover - 1 run
North Eugene bats dashed the
Colt's chance to gain a piece
of the Midwestern League
lead tonight at Swede Johnson
Stadium. The Highlanders
pounded out 11 hits, including
2 doubles and a triple, on the
way to an 8 to 3 win.
Things looked good early as
the Colts jumped out to 1 to 0
and 3 to 2 leads in the second
and forth innings
respectively. Danny Urness
led off the game by beating
out an infield hit to short.
Skip Spencer doubled in Urness
and a possible big first
inning looked likely.
However, a strike out, a
ground ball to second, and a
fly to right field, left
Spencer a third and Thurston
had to settle for only on run.
That lead lasted until the
bottom of the third when 2
hits, 2 walks, and a sacrifice
bunt scored two for N.E.
Thurston responded in the top
of the forth with 2 runs of
their own to retake the lead.
An infield hit by Dylan Hesse,
followed by a Chris Reed
sacrifice bunt and walks to
Andrew Harris and Colin
Schauermann got things going.
A North error on Danny Urness'
ground ball scored Hesse and a
wild pitch brought in Harris.
Once again the Colts were
thinking big inning with 2
runs in and Urness and
Schauermann on second and
third with only one out.
Alas, NE pitcher Tim Keller
struck out the next two
batters and for the second
time Thurston settled for a
one run lead.
That was to be the end of the
good times as NE put up 2 runs
in the bottom of the forth,
and 4 more in the fifth, and
Thurston could not respond as
Keller struck out 4 more Colts
in the next two innings to put
the game away.
Defense Turns Stingy as Thurston
Beats
Willamette 6 to 0.
Grant Willis tossed a seven hit
shutout, and Kyle Hoover and
Colin Schauermann traded off
turning big double plays with
each other as the Colts move to
3 and 2 to overtake the
Wolverines in the standings.
After 2 and 1/2 scoreless
innings the bottom of the order
came alive for Thurston in the
bottom of the third inning.
Jordan Branham singled to center
and
Willamette threw
Schauermann's sac. bunt into
right field to put runners on
2nd and 3rd bases with no outs.
Danny Urness' single up the
middle scored Branham and after
a wild pitch moved Urness to
second, once again the Colts had
runners at second and third with
no outs.
Skip Spencer's single to center
scored Schauermann and Urness
giving Willis more than enough
runs for the win. Spencer also
doubled and scored in the fifth
inning as did Branham in the
forth and Tyler Bradley in the
seventh inning.
The
Thurston Nine came out sloppy after a week
off and dropped their league opener at
Willamette Wednesday afternoon. A
usually solid infield committed 4 errors
and the Cubs banged out 13 hits to hand
the Colts an 8 to 5 loss.
Most
the damage was done in the bottom of the
first inning. Danny Urness got Thurston
off on the right foot in the top half of
the inning with a lead off single. After a
steal of second base and 2 wild pitches
the Colts had a one run lead. It would be
shot lived however, as
Willamette followed with six hits (HR
by Maahs and 2bs by Woodke andParker) and five runs and
Thurston never recovered.
Thurston did pull the game close with four
runs in the middle innings to bring the
score to 6 to 5 in the fifth but Marshall
and Woodke shut the Colts down in the last
two innings to preserve the win.
Bright moments at the plate were Skip
Spencer's solo home run in the third
inning, Tyler Bradley's RBI double in the
second, and Kyle Hoover's RBI double in
the fifth.
Andrew Harris: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 earned, 1 K
Colts Split Another Double Header in Central
Oregon
Wednesday, March 28
Game 1
- Thurston, 1 - Crook County, 5
Thurston's
bats were as cold as the March prairie winds as the
Cowboys held the colts to 4 hits in the first game
loss in Prineville. Crook County lefty Kevin Marks
struck out 9 and walked only 3 in the complete game
win.
Kyle Hoover
scored Thurston's only run in the top of the first
inning, and for a while it looked like that might be
enough as Dylan Hesse was strong on the mound giving
up only one Cowboy hit through the third inning.
Crook County finally broke through with 3 runs in
the forth inning and the Colts could not respond.
Game 2
- Thurston, 9 - Crook County, 3
For the second
time in 5 days the Colts show that they can come to
life in the second game of a double header. Just
like at Summit on Saturday Thurston's bats roar to
life after a first game loss. Thurston pounded out
18 hits in the night (afternoon) cap, including home
runs by Danny Urness and Dylan Hesse. Every Colt
batter had at least one hit as Thurston scored in
all but 2 innings.
Steven Frambes threw four
solid innings giving up only 1 hit and striking out
4 Cowboys in the win.
Thurston and Pleasant Hill Play One. Colts 8
Pleasant Hill 0
Monday, March 26
The first game of
today's double header at Pleasant Hill ended with a solid Colt
win before the weather chased away game two. Brooks Chapman
and Andrew Harris combined to shut out the Billies 8-0,
allowing just six hits on the day.
Thurston came out
swinging from the start, scoring 3 runs in the first inning
and 4 in the second. Lead off hitter Danny Urness' 2 hits and
2 runs, and Kyle Hoover's 3 hits and 2 RBI's, set the pace and
Skip Spencer kicked in with a double for the Colt's who
improve their non-league record to 3 wins and 4 losses.
Thurston closes
preseason play Wednesday with a double header against Crook
County in Prineville.
Colts Split With Summit Storm. Saturday March 24
Thurston salvages the
second game of two with Summit High School of Bend.
Game 1:
Thurston 2 - Summit 3
The Colts wasted 11 hits,
including 2 doubles and a triple, in the 3-2 loss of the game
one of the double header. Thurston stranded 10 runners (5 in
scoring position) negating a 4 hit advantage over the Storm.
Thurston played solid
defense with just one error and pitched well enough to win, but
couldn't seem to put the hit together when needed. Starter
Jordan Branham allowed 3 runs and 6 hits in 3 innings and Andrew
Harris looked good in 3 innings of relief giving up no runs and
only 1 hit.
The colts started out hot
with Danny Urness who recently returned from the DL leading
things off with a triple. Back to back single by Kyle Hoover
and Skip Spencer gave Thurston a quick 2-0 lead. Unfortunately
that would be it for Colt scoring as 7 hits, 3 walks, and 2
Summit errors scattered over the last 6 innings produced no more
runs.
Summit got all 3 of their
runs in the bottom of the second inning on 5 hits and a walk.
Thurston also chose to toss in the only colt error of the game
to help the Storm score just enough for the win.
Game 2:
Thurston 16 - Summit 13
And we thought football
wasn't for 5 more months. Thurston opened with a 50 yard
pass..... Just kidding. Lots of offense here not much
defense. 16 hits for the Colts in the second game, including 1
home run (Kyle Hoover), 3 triples and 2 doubles.
Sun in the outfield and a
newly sodded (and rough) infield took their tool on both
defenses as Summit committed 6 errors and Thurston 5 in a game
that neither team was abel to take control of. The lead
changed hand nearly every half inning until Grant Willis came in
the sixth and seventh innings shut down the Storm and allow the
Colt bats to pull away.
The trip over the
mountains brings the Colts record to 2 wins and 4 losses.
2 game statistic
highlights.
Hitting
Skip Spencer: 5
for 9, 1 triple, 5 R'sBI
Kyle Hoover: 4
for 7, 1 HR, 1 Double, 4 R'sBI
Brooks Chapman: 3 for 7,
2 Doubles
Colin Schauermann: 6 for
8, 1 RBI
Barrett Prock: 1
triple
Andrew Harris: 3 for
4, 1 Triple, 3 R'sBI
Danny Urness: 3 for
7, 1 Double, 1 Triple, 1 RBI
Pitching
Andrew Harris: 3
innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 earned,
Grant Willis: 2
innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned, 1 K
Thurston Loses in 7 Inning Thriller Wednesday
March 21
After a 2 run first inning for
both teams Brooks Chapman's solo dinger in the third puts Thurston up
3-2. After Sheldon's 2 runs in the top of the forth puts the Irish on
top, Chapman comes through again in the bottom with an RBI single
bringing in the tying run.
In the bottom of the fifth
Thurston seemed to take the lead when Chris Cassell looks to be in under
the tag on a pitchout squeeze, but is called out at the plate. No more
scoring opportunities until the top of the seventh when a 1 out infield
hit followed by a single and double give Sheldon the winning margin.
A very well played game by both
teams. Thurston committed only one error while Sheldon was flawless in
the field.