| Colt Comments | |
|
May23
Quarterfinal Tuesday, State Playoff Games
Thurston, 9 – Marshfield, 6
Colts Beat Rain, then Marshfield to Remain in First
4/21/08
Simply getting in a complete game Monday was challenge enough, but if the Colts thought that dodging rain drops would be their hardest task they would need to think again. The Pirates, holding down last place in the Midwestern League and supposedly running out of pitchers, were supposed to be easy work for home nine. Someone forgot to tell that to Marshfield.
Surprise starter Tyler Graves was the focal point in a gutsy performance by the Pirates who looked much bettor than their one league win would indicate. After giving up five runs in a first inning that was punctuated by Thurston’s Brooks Chapman’s two run blast and two hits by the Colt’s lead off batter Danny Urness, Graves could have given in to the Colts and the weather and no one would have been critical. Instead, he settled in and used an array of pitch speeds and deliveries to hold the Colts to just two hits and one run for the next four innings.
Possibly inspired by their pitcher, Graves’ teammates slowly chipped away at Thurston’s lead with two runs in the third inning and another in the sixth. Any hope for a quick mercy rule win for the Colts was gone and now Thurston had to make sure of just getting the “w”. Fortunately for the Colts the bats came alive again in the bottom of the sixth inning. Colin Schauermann led off with his third hit of the day, a line drive to left, and after Danny Urness sacrifice bunted Schauermann to second base, Kyle Hoover, Brooks Chapman, and Skip Spencer all singled to push the Colts back to a six run lead at 9 - 3.
Time to celebrate? Not yet! As with any good Pirate, this gang still had larceny in their hearts, and were going to do their best to steal this game. However a spirited three runs on three hits seventh inning came up a little short when Graves (this time doing battle with his bat) lofted a deep fly to center field that was hauled in by Thurston’s Urness to end the game. With the 9 – 6 win the Colts hang on to their one game lead over North Eugene.
Batting:
2b - Marshfield - Slack HR – Thurston - Chapman RBI – Thurston - Hunter, Chapman (3), Pearson, Urness, Schauermann, Hoover Marshfield – Giorgis, Riddle, McLintock, Campell, VanPullian Pitching:
Thurston Hesse – 3 innings, 2 runs 1 hit, 2 earned, 0 K, 3 BB, 1 HP White – 4 innings, 4 runs, 6 hits, 3 earned, 2 k’s, 2 BB, 1 HP
Errors: T-1; M -2
Next Game: Wed. at Springfield Thurston, 10 – North Eugene, 3 Thurston Hammers North, Claims Sole Possession of First Place
4/18/08
While not really in a must win situation, Thurston baseballers must have known it would be much harder to win a league title with a loss tonight against co leader North Eugene. Combined with a first round, 5 to 4 loss to the Highlanders, a second loss would have put North a game up and clinched season series over the Colts.
Evidently Thurston wanted no part of another close game as the Colts jumped all over North Eugene starter Scott Womack scoring four runs in the first inning and three more in the second to the delight of one of the largest crowds I’ve seen at Flaten Field. The Colts tallied nine hits in those two innings and followed with six more hits, and single runs in each of the next three innings for the final score. It was the second time this week that Thurston has scored in every inning of a game and the win puts the Colts alone in first place in the Midwestern League at the halfway mark.
Skip Spencer and Danny Urness provided much of the offence tonight although eight Colt batters had hits tonight and all ten reached base. Spencer was three for three with a 4 bagger to left center, and Urness went four for four with a double. Josh Galbreath added a double and two hits for the Colts.
Darrell Hunter went the distance for Thurston giving up just four hits and striking out three Highlanders.
Batting:
2b - Thurston – Urness, Galbreath HR – Thurston - Spencer RBI – Thurston - Hunter (2), Chapman (2), Spencer (3), Galbreath (2) Pearson
Pitching:
Thurston Hunter – 0 runs, 3 earned, 3 K, 0 BB, 1HB
Churchill Womack - 1 1/3 innings, 9 hits, 6 runs, 4 earned, 0 Ks, 2 BBs Hasse - 1/3 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 0 Ks, 2 BBs Haxby – 2 innings, 3 hit, 2 runs, 2 earned, 1 K, 0 BBs Mills – 1 inning, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned, 1 K, 1 BB
Errors: T-3; NE -2
Next Game: Monday vs. Marshfield at Thurston
Thurston, 8 – Churchill, 3 Colts Keep it Cool for Second League Win Over Churchill
4/16/08 In a game eerily like the Colts and Lancers first meeting Thurston clinched the season series with Churchill tonight at Churchill. The similarities begin with the score. Game one was a 9 – 3 Colt win. Tonight Thurston come out on top 8 – 3. As in game one Dylan Hesse pitched six innings for the Colts and gave up identical # of runs as tonight, three. And in another similarity, Chris Reed closed out the last inning of both games and retired the Lancers in order.
One major difference in tonight’s game is the way Churchill pitched to Colt shortstop Darrell Hunter. The Lancers made sure Hunter would not repeat his 5 RBI, 2 home run performance of game one. Twice when the Thurston slugger came to bat with runners on Churchill chose to take their chances on the next batter by intentionally walking Hunter. In high school that means just go to first base, no pitches needed. Too bad as U of O coach George Horton was in attendance to watch his first (and nearest recruit).
Instead the offence was supplied by many Colts as they banged out 13 hits and an RBI for each run, eight. The biggest night’s were had by Skip Spencer (2 hits, 2 RBI, and a triple), Chris Reed (3 Hits, 1 RBI), and Danny Urness (3 hits, 1 RBI)
Although The Colts held a substantial lead in hits throughout the game it was not until the top of the sixth inning that they were able to break away from a three to three tie. Thurston capitalized on three Lancer errors with a couple of hits (one by DH Brooks Chapman and Spencer’s triple) and one of the intentional walks to Hunter, to score four runs and some breathing room. Thurston added an insurance run in the seventh inning and turned over to the reliable Reed to put it in the books.
Batting:
2b - T, Hoover; C Berrien 3b - T, Chapman RBI – T, Hunter, Urness, Hoover, Chapman, Spencer
(2), Reed, Ryan;
Pitching:
Thurston Hesse: 6 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned, 1 K, 2 BB Reed: 1 inning, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned, 2 Ks, 0 BBs
Churchill Jorgenson: 5 1/3 innings, 12 hits, 6 runs, 3 earned, 0 Ks, 2 BBs Berrien: 1 2/3 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 earned, 0 Ks, 0 BBs
Errors: T-0; 1-5
Next Game: Friday vs. North Eugene at Thurston
Thurston, 14 – Springfield, 4
Thurston Takes Game One in City Rivalry
4/11/08
Kyle Hoover homered twice to propel Thurston to a six inning 14 to 4 for win over the cross town Springfield Millers. Hoover’s bombs came in the second and sixth innings. The first was a two run blast to left field and the second a three run shot, also to left, to end the game with the ten run rule. Hoover and Danny Urness both went 4 for 5 at the plate and scored three runs each as the Millers could not stop the duo at the top of the Colt order.
Skip Spencer doubled and had two hits for the Colts. Austin Hughes and Darrell Hunter also had a pair of hits apiece. The easy win finishes the first round of league play and leaves the Colts in no worse than a first place tie heading into Monday’s game at Willamette.
The Colts scored three runs in the first inning with two hits and some aggressive base running as Thurston runners stole four bases including a 1st and 3rd double steal for the final run of the inning. It would be a hint of things to come as Thurston scored at least one run in every inning and successfully pulled off the double steal two more times, losing only one runner, and scoring each time.
Devin Bodeen pitched three strong innings against his old teammates giving up only three hits and one earned run. Once again Chris Reed closed for the Colts giving up four hits and one earned run.
Batting:
HR - T, Hoover (2); 2b – T, Spencer RBI – T, Hoover (5), Hunter (2), Urness, Pearson Galbreath, Spencer; S, Dougherty (2)
Pitching:
Thurston Bodeen: 3 innings, 3 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned, 5 K, BBs, 1HP Reed: innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 earned, 1 K, 0 BBs
Springfield Bates: 3 innings, 10 hits, 9 runs, 9 earned, 2 Ks, 3 BBs Gregory: 3 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned, 2 Ks, 3 BBs
Errors: T-3; S-0
Thurston, 9 – Churchill, 3
Colts Keep it Cool for League Win Number Two
4/2/08
Retuning home to a chilly Flaten Field tonight, the Colts ran their league mark to two wins and no losses with a 9 to 3 win over the Churchill Lancers. Last night Thurston played in summer like weather at Roseburg and suffered their first loss of the season.
Cold as it was, senior Darrell Hunter’s bat remained hot as a sidewalk in July. Hunter Pounded out two more home runs and 5 RBI’s to lead the Colts out of a mini, two game, batting slump. Hunter’s first shot, a laser just right of the old scoreboard in left field, keyed the six run second inning that erased an early two to nothing Churchill lead. The inning was started by Colin Schauermann with a single up the middle. Tym Pearson also singled in the inning.
That would be all the Colts needed as Dylan Hesse settled in and held the Lancers to just one, unearned, run for the next four innings, and Chris Reed set down three straight Churchill batters in the seventh to close out the victory. Hunter’s two run dinger in the third inning stretched the lead to six runs and Danny Urness singled and scored on and error in the fifth inning to close out the Thurston scoring.
Batting:
HR - T, Hunter (2); 2b - C, Birch, Davis; RBI – T, Hunter (5), Pearson;
Pitching:
Thurston Hesse: 6 innings, 4 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned, 3 Ks, 2 BBs Reed: 1 inning, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned, 1 K, 0 BBs
Churchill St Clair: 1 2/3 innings, 4 hits, 6 runs, 6 earned, 2 Ks, 6 BBs, 1HP Tichnor: 2/3 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 earned, 0 Ks, 2 BBs Jorgenson: 3 2/3 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 1 K, 1HP
Errors: T-3; 1-4
Next Game: Monday @ North Eugene
Thurston, 6 – Willamette, 3
Colts Walk, then Run, to League Opening Win 4/2/08
On a day when the Colt bats were a little quite, discipline at the plate paid, off as Thurston used eight walks, to supplement just four hits, to hold off The Willamette Wolverines in the Midwestern League opener for both teams. The win puts the Colts at 9 wins and 0 losses for the season, and 1 and 0 in league.
Two of the four hits were big as Darrell Hunter went yard with a solo shot in the 1st inning and Chris Reed lead off the 2nd with a double over the center fielder’s head. The Colts are wearing out the softball batting cage nets beyond left center field as Hunter’s Blast was the 4th or 5th HR to land there this year.
Hunter also held down the pitching duties with a complete game, 7 hit effort. He struck out seven Wolverine batters while only walking one.
Thurston’s defense was good once again, forcing Willamette to earn their runs, as the Colts committed just one error on the day. Junior outfielder Trevor Ryan was especially busy, running down several deep fly balls on the left side.
Batting:
HR - T, Hunter; 2b - T, Reed; W, Quisenberry, Maahs, Woodke; RBI – T, Hunter, Schauermann; Pearson W, Hughes, Woodke
Pitching:
T, Hunter: 7 innings, 3 runs, 2 earned, 7K, 1 BB W, Parker: 6 innings, 6 runs, 3 earned, 7K, 8 BB
Errors: T-1; W-4
Next Game: Thursday @ Roseburg
Snow, Rain, Hail, and “Thunder”! 3/29/08 Mother Nature exhibited most of her weather phenomena today at Flaten Field, specifically all the varieties of precipitation. And the one thing she left out was provided by the Thurston bats, THUNDER. The Colts struck for 13 hits, two of them doubles and two home runs, in a 14 to 2 five inning thumping of The South Eugene Axemen today in a game scheduled to make up for missed games this week with Crook County.
Brooks Chapman’s two run blast to left center highlighted the six run 2nd inning. Danny Urness got things started with a two RBI single up the middle. After a past ball moved Urness all the way to third, Tym Pearson’s RBI ground ball scored the third run of the inning. Not satisfied, the Colts than strung four hits together for three more runs. Included in the string were Chapman’s dinger, singles from Darrell Hunter and Chris Reed, and a Skip Spencer double.
The Colts put up four more runs in the fourth inning and three in the 5th inning. Josh Galbreath doubled in two runs, and Skip Spencer and Trevor Ryan each provided RBI singles in the fourth. The final fireworks came in the 5th when Darrell Hunter’s third blast of the season scored three runs to end the game.
On a defensive note Thurston put up their forth errorless game of the season. Utility man Colin Schauermann showed his versatility today with some strong play a short stop and second base as these Colts are proving they can work well with several defensive line ups. Galbreath also played a couple of positions today as he worked three innings at second base as well as his usual spot at third. Dylan Hesse filled in nicely at third while Galbreath held down second.
Hunter started on the mound and gave up just two runs and three hits, while striking out three, in three innings work. Hesse closed out the last two innings recording 1 “K” and allowing only one hit.
Ethan Tracktenberg tallied the only Axeman extra base hit with a solo home run in the third inning.
Next Game: League opens Wed. at home vs. Willamette
Thurston, 6, 17 – Pleasant Hill, 4, 6
Colts Turn to Bats – Move to 7 and 0! 3/24/08 On a day when the defense struggled, Thurston broke out their big bats for a double header sweep of the Pleasant Hill Billies. The Colts pounded three round trippers on the day and really put the pedal down in game two with 13 hits, including 2 dingers, and a total of 6 extra base hits in the 17 -6 win.
Game 1 An error in each of the first two innings led to 4 unearned runs and an early 4 – 0 P. Hill lead. Then the Colts clamped down on defense and held the Billies scoreless the rest of the way. Thurston scored one run in the 3rd inning, two in the 4th, two more in the 5th, and one in the 6th to squeak out the win. The offensive highlight of game 1 was Darrell Hunter’s 4th inning, 2 run bomb, into the softball field beyond the left field fence. Skip Spencer and Trevor Ryan both chipped in with a RBI doubles for Thurston. Joey White and Chris Reed combined to give up only 4 hits in seven innings. White struck out one batter and Reed fanned two.
Game 2 Once again error and unearned runs plagued the home team. Three errors and a like number of unearned runs helped Pleasant Hill to a 5 – 4 lead after three innings. Then the Colts offence exploded for 6 runs in the 4th inning and 7 runs in the 6th inning to put the game away. Brooks Chapman led the hitting barrage with 5, including a double and a 2 run blast to left. Tym Pearson’s solo shot to dead center lead off the big 4th inning. Hunter and Devin Bodeen tallied doubles for the Colts. Dylan Heese was touched for five hits over four innings, and was credited with all six Billie runs, although three were unearned. Sophomore Dawson Phinny, in his Varsity debut, gave up just one hit in two innings work.
Next Home Game: Wednesday vs. Crook County (Double Header at noon)
Thurston, 10, 10 – Summit, 0, 5
Double Header Twice as Nice! 3/22/08
Thurston stayed perfect at 5 wins and no losses with a double header sweep of Bend’s Summit High School today at Flaten Field. For the second time in two days the Colts played nearly flawless defense, committing just one error over the two games.
Game 1
Darrell Hunter and Devin Bodeen combined to hold the Storm to just 2 hits in the 5 inning, 10 run rule, first game. Hunter gave up one hit in four innings and Bodeen cleaned up in the fifth.
Thurston chased Summit ace Jeff Nelson early as they punched out 4 hits, and were aided by 3 Summit errors, as they batted around the order for 6 runs in the second inning. The Colts added 3 more in the 3rd inning and another in the 5th to send everyone to an early lunch break.
That caught the parents BBQ committee off guard and the most pressure of the day fell on the cooks to get the players and coaches from both squads fed in time for the second game. Thanks for the great food parents!
Kyle Hoover was the only Colt with 2 hits but just about everyone else had one as Thurston spread the offense around on four Summit pitchers.
Game 2
This was a more competitive game early as Summit jumped out to a 4-0 lead after 1½ innings. But once again the Colts put up six runs in a big 2nd inning to take the lead. The Thurston pitchers settled down after that as the Colts cruised in for the 10 to 5 victory.
The second game offense was highlighted by Danny Urness’ 360 foot, 3rd inning dinger just left of center field. Urness broke out of a mini slump and led the Colts with three hits in the second game.
Skip Spencer and Kyle Hoover added two hits each as once again Thurston spread hits over several players.
Next Home Game: Monday vs. Pleasant Hill (Double Header at noon)
Thurston, 6 – South Eugene, 4 Colts Go Extra Innings for Victory!
3/21/08 Darrell Hunter doubled in Kyle Hoover for the go ahead run, and Brooks Chapman followed with a single to drive in Hunter for insurance, as Thurston knocked off South Eugene in nine innings tonight at Civic Stadium in Eugene. Hunters smash to the wall in left center field brought Hoover all the way around from first base after Kyle reached on a great two strike, opposite field hit of his own. The extra inning dramatics moved the Colts to 3 and 0 on the young season.
In a game highlighted with strong pitching, and some superb defense, the three hits in a row was a veritable offensive explosion. The Colts had managed just four hits up to that point and had not scored since the second inning as the Axemen pitchers (Tracktenburg and Klingman) kept the Thurston threats to a minimum in the middle five innings.
In the mean time the Colt pitchers were doing a pretty good job of their own. After a shaky first inning, Joey White settled down to go three and leave with Thurston ahead 4 to 3. Dylan Heese came in for three innings and allowed only one run, and Chris Reed set down the last six Axemen to close things out.
Big News: 9 innings – ZERO errors. Great Job Colts.
Next Home Game: Saturday vs. Summit (Double Header at noon)
Thurston, 5 - Sheldon, 4
Colts Pull Out Seventh Inning Win!
3/19/08
Tym Pearson’s soft single to right field in the bottom of the last inning brought Colin Schauermann all the way in from second base for the winning run in a seven inning thriller at Flaten Field. It was a fitting end for a game that went back and forth all evening.
Sheldon Scored two in the first inning keyed by doubles from Tyler Martell and Peter Straka, and an RBI single by Brad Coffee. The lead increased to 3 – 0 on the third when a Colt error led to one more run.
Thurston responded in the bottom half of the third when Darrell Hunter unloaded a bomb to left center which also scored Kyle Hoover had just reached base after being hit in the foot. The Colts then took the lead with one run in each of the next two innings. Brooks Chapman was on by a Sheldon error in the 4th when Josh Galbreath doubled to right field. Then Danny Urness singled to lead off the 5th, moved to second base on an error, third base on a pitch in the dirt, and scored on a past ball.
The 6th inning was quiet with neither team mounting a threat, setting the table for the exiting finish. Sheldon tied the game in the top of the seventh when Peter Straka stroked his second double of the game, and Mark Fauira singled him in with a sharp single to right center.
Setting the stage for Pearson’s heroics, Schauermann drew a lead off four pitch walk, and then moved to second when his steal attempt was aided by a pitch in the dirt. Pearson’s slap into no mans land behind first base gave Schauermann enough time to beat the throw home giving the Colts their second straight win to start the young season.
Next Game: Friday at South Eugene (Civic Stadium) Next Home Game: Saturday vs. Summit
Opening Day 2008: Thurston, 2 - West Albany, 0
Hunter Shuts Down Bulldogs on Opening Day!
According to the weatherman, the first game of 2008 was supposed to be a rain out. Instead Colt pitcher Darrell Hunter turned it into a shut out. In a game that was only shortened, not cancelled, due to rain, Hunter pitched 5 nearly flawless innings allowing only one hit, with no bases on balls, and striking out three West Albany Bulldogs. We’ll give the weatherman ½ a point for coming close.
If fact, the Bulldogs managed only 3 runners (two on errors) in their 5 innings of hitting. Two of those were wiped out by the Colt defense so only once was there a West Albany runner still standing at the end of an inning.
In the mean time Thurston put runners on base in every inning but the 4th with 6 hits (including a double by Kyle Hoover in the 3rd). Both runs came in the 3rd inning. Tym Pearson led off with a single to right field and raced around to 3rd base when Danny Urness’ ground ball to the left was misplayed by the WA 3rd baseman. Pearson scored when Urness strung out a hot box situation between 1st and 2nd bases long enough for him to get home.
Hoover followed with a one out double to left and moved to 3rd on a Hunter single. Skip Spencer followed with a RBI ground ball to 3rd bringing in Hoover to complete the scoring.
Thurston goes on the road Friday at Roseburg and returns home to Flaten Field next Monday to host McKay. |
JV
Scores Game 1 - Thurston 12 - W. Albany 3 Game 2 - Thurston 5 - Sheldon 2 Game 3 - Thurston 10 - Summit 1 Game 4 - Thurston 10 - Summit 11 Game 5 - Thurston 8 - S. Eugene 0 |