Five run seventh inning earns Lions second in Pac West

Stayton – Jefferson came from behind with 5 runs in the seventh inning to take a 7-3 win over Regis Friday, and claim the second seed to the 3A playoffs from the Pac West Conference. The loss sends the Rams (12-11) to Warrenton (13-2), the Lewis & Clark Conference champions, on Tuesday, as the Pac West’s third seed.

Jefferson (9-10) finished fourth in the final Pac West standings, but used a 7-0 win in Harrisburg on Thursday to eliminate the Eagles, and set up their shot at the Rams for the second seed. The win gives Jefferson a home game Tuesday against fourth ranked Burns (17-10).

Jefferson immediately answered for a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning, as Robert Keudell took over for Justin Silbernagel on the mound for Regis. But the lead didn't last long.

The Rams responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, and the Lions switched pitchers twice before Lingo Diaz got the Rams out. The score stayed 3-2 Regis until the seventh inning. Then everything changed, and almost instantly.

Jefferson took advantage of no one covering third to load the bases. Regis Coach Don Heuberger attributed the mistake to “Miscommunications. (Shortstop) Derek Piete fielded an easy infield grounder cleanly, but had no one to throw to for a play. That gave Jefferson an extra out.”

The Lions took advantage of that extra out, After tieing it, Keudell walked in the go ahead run with two outs on the scoreboard. Piete took over on the mound, and walked in another run, and then Michael Kuenzi put Regis in a real hole with a two RBI double.

Diaz got two strikeouts against the bottom of the Ram order, and took care of a nubber by Obersinner to close out the game, and get the win on the mound in the process. Keudell took the loss.

In all Jefferson limited the Rams to only two hits. Heuberger credited Dryden and Diaz, noting “Jefferson’s pitching had a good book on us. We didn’t play well, but they did what they had to do.”

Jefferson hit Regis pitching for nine hits, and also had the benefit of four Ram errors. Lion coach Mark Rouska reflected on the five run comeback, observing “We came alive. We have done that the second half of the season. And our pitching was strong. We wanted to keep the ball down, right at the front knee, and not let them get any pitches up in their wheel house.”

The Lions were coming off three consecutive shutouts, and hadn’t committed an error in five games before the one against the Rams.

Jefferson 1 0 0 0 1 0 5 7 9 1

Regis 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 2 4

Chris Dryden, Benny Lopez (5), Lingo Diaz (5) (W) and Jake Marlatt; Justin Silbernagel, Robert Keudell (5) (L), Derek Piete (7) and Ryan Tuss. 2B – Michael Kuenzi (J).

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