KEIZER - In a crisp, well-played game, #1 Umpqua Valley Christian edged #2 Union, 2-1, to capture the 2009 2A/1A baseball championship at Volcanoes Stadium. A solo HR from their leadoff hitter proved the difference for the top-ranked Monarchs from Southern Oregon. The one-run loss was tough for the Bobcat faithful, many of whom arrived from Corvallis, where the Union softball team lost, 1-0, in the girls' 2A/1A title game.

One year after dropping a heart-breaking 5-4 loss to Portland Christian in the 2A/1A championship game, UVC simply reloaded for another run to the final game in 2009. The Monarchs' lineup in Friday's championship featured eight players who started in last year's final game against the Royals. However, the difference between 2008 and 2009 was a senior absent from the 2008 lineup - because last year he was a junior playing at 4A South Umpqua, which finished last in the Far West league at 4-19.

So when Bo Younker transferred to tiny UVC for his senior year, Monarch coach Dave York had a lineup that suggested the 2009 2A/1A title was UVC's to lose. Younker, a 3^rd team All-State player at the 4A level in 2008, was voted by the 2A/1A coaches as the 2009 Player-of-the-Year at the small-school level. Younker was joined on the 1^st team by fellow Monarchs Austin Stone, Isaac Graham, Michael Graham and Ryan Graf.

But opposing York's Monarchs was a Union squad led by the 2009 Coach-of-the-Year in Greg Poor. The Bobcats featured a pair of 1^st team selections in sophomore pitcher Austin Woodward and senior shortstop Kyle Langford. Moreover, the Bobcats handed UVC an early season 11-1 drubbing way back in the cold, wet days of Spring Break. But neither York nor Poor, nor their players placed much value in that early game. Both coaches knew the two best teams in the smallest classification were matched in a winner-take-all championship game. Unlike the sloppy 3A debacle earlier in the day, this game was a delight to watch.

UVC wasted little time getting started, scoring a run in the top of the first off Union starter Cody Billman. With one out, UVC's Isaac Graham reached first on an error by Union shortstop Langford, who muffed Graham's easy grounder. When Graham saw that Langford was slow getting to the ball in short center field, he caught the Bobcats napping when he raced safely into second base. Billman then uncorked a wild pitch, sending Graham to third base. Younker then walked and stole second without drawing a throw. Graf then stepped to the plate and lofted a high sacrifice fly to right field, easily scoring Graham and sending Younker to third. The inning ended with UVC scoring an unearned run to lead 1-0.

The Monarchs added to their lead in the top of the third when Michael Graham lined a one-out solo home run over the Bi-Mart sign in left field. With two outs, Younker and Graf both reached on base hits, but Billman worked out of the jam, getting Austin Stone to ground out to third. UVC had taken a 2-0 lead on Graham's HR, but the Monarchs would not score again.

UVC's Michael Graham's solo HR proved the difference in the Monarch's 2-1 victory over Union.

Photo by Bruce McCain

In the bottom of the 4^th inning, Union finally got to Younker, the all-state catcher who started the game on the mound for UVC. With one out, Jeremy Moore singled down the left field line. Younker then walked Vincent Stuckey, sending Moore to 2^nd base. Calvin Stout then popped an infield fly to Mitchell Graham at first for the second out. But Zach Kimball blooped a single to left, scoring Moore and cutting the UVC lead to 2-1. Union sophomore Jordan Brown looked at a called 3^rd strike to end the inning. Union trailed 2-1 in what would be the game's final score.

Union had a chance to possibly tie the game in the 5^th inning when Langford led off the inning with a single to right. The senior shortstop then promptly took off on a steal attempt toward 2^nd. But to the dismay of Coach Poor, his senior all-stater  failed to slide and went into second base standing up. Langford was easily tagged out by Stone on a fine throw by Michael Graham. Instead of having the potential tying run in scoring position with no outs, the Bobcats went down 1-2-3 to end the inning and the threat. With runners scarce for both teams, Langford's out proved fatal for the Bobcats, who would not reach base again.

Union's Kyle Langford (20) goes into second base standing up -

and UVC's Austin Stone makes him pay the price.

Photo by Bruce McCain

UVC's Gabe Forrester slides into 2nd base with a 6th-inning double,

beating the tag of Union's Kyle Langford (R).

Photo by Bruce McCain

Younker was finished on the mound at that point, moving behind the plate while Graf took over in relief. Graf, the senior 1^st-team all-state pitcher was superb, setting down the Bobcats in order in the 6^th and 7^th innings, striking out three, including Brown to end the game.

The final out was quickly followed by the obligatory dog pile as the Monarchs concluded a sensational season at 28-3. The Union boys (21-2) had to settle for the silver medals, like their Lady Cat counterparts. But Union was the only 2A/1A school in 2009 to place both its boys and girls teams in their respective championship games - a feat shared by 3A Willamina as well.

The QWEST Players-of-the-Game went to the respective starting pitchers - Younker for UVC and Billman for Union. While both players were certainly deserving, other names from each team could have easily replaced them and no one would have likely complained.

UVC's Bo Younker - the 2009 2A/1A Player-of-the-Year - was also named

the QWEST Player-of-the-Game for the 2009 championship game.

Photo by Bruce McCain