(Only) 6A Sure to See a New Champion, But It Turns Out To Be An Old One

6A is the only class that does not have a team back from last year's title game. There is a familiar program, though, as well as a fresh face. The North Medford Black Tornado (25-5, 11-4 in the Southwest Conference) makes their sixth appearance in the title game, while the Sunset Apollos (24-6, 12-3 in the Metro League) are there for the first time.

Both teams are second seeds, and won four playoff games to reach the title. Sunset beat a pair of league champions, and North Medford three.

More recently, some of the other programs have caught up, and the result included last year's 6A title game, won by Grants Pass over Roseburg 2-1 in 10 innings. Grants Pass, ranked nationally off and on, defeated North Medford three times, as did Roseburg and Metro League champion Jesuit.

Coach Mike Maben's Black Tornado did defeat 5A Crater, playing for their third straight title, four times, and semifinalist South Salem. In the playoffs, another of the Metro power programs, Westview, as well as Mt. Hood champion Central Catholic, Three River Champion Oregon City, and Pacific champion McMinnville all were eliminated by North Medford, the last two in one run games.

Sunset is making their first softball championship appearance on the arm of emerging freshman pitcher Jessie Moore, the Metro league Pitcher of the Year. South Salem, McMinnville, Forest Grove, Southridge, and Jesuit all defeated Sunset, but except for McMinnville, all faced Sunset again, and all fell, as the Apollos have continued to improve for coach Spencer Mills.

Since the first round playoff win over Sandy, Moore and the Apollos have allowed only one run, in a 6-1 win in Grants Pass. A 5-0 9 inning win in Forest Grove, against the 2007 champions, and a 1-0 win over South Salem, coached by 500+ game winner Scott McCormick, on a walk off infield hit, have followed.

North Medford's Brittany Griffor plays the National Anthem.

The Sunset side isn't full, but the aggregate southern Oregon fan base on the first base side is full.

Sunset isn't just riding a young pitcher; there isn't a senior on the squad. North Medford only has two seniors, but pitcher Taylor Schmidt is one of them.

Moore makes short work of the top of the Tornado order, but Schmidt can only do the same with the first two Apollos. Julia Johnson singles to left, but is left after an easy grounder to second ends the first inning.

Another three up, three down inning for Moore, and this time, one for Schmidt too.

Sunset's freshman pitcher Jessie Moore, the Metro League Pitcher of the Year.

Eight slot hitter Brittany Griffor gets the Tornado blowing with a single to right, and she advances to second when the throw in is wide. Amanda Frietas, hitting ninth, lays down a perfect bunt, and there are runners on the corners from the bottom of the order. Jenna Stevens' bunt scores Griffor when the throw to the plate is high. McKenna Storey sacrifices in Frietas, and the Tornado leads 2-0, on small ball, and the bottom of the order.

North Medford's Amanda Freitas (8) gets the two run third inning started.

North Medford's McKenna Storey (10) delivers an RBI sacrifice hit.

Moore's grounder is an error, through the legs of Stevens at short, and a sacrifice puts pinch runner Kim Ryder on second. But a strikeout and a soft shot to short cleans things up for Schmidt.

Three up, three down for Moore; Schmidt hits DH Julia Johnson with a pitch to start the bottom of the fourth. But catcher Amanda Wolfe guns down pinch runner Ryder to erase that mistake.

A walk to Sara Del Balzo keeps the Tornado crowd worked up, and another ball call brings Mayben out for a conference. Schmidt allows no more commotion, and carries a two run cushion past the midway mark.

After a couple of ground outs, Griffor beats out another bunt, and steals second, and scores on Stevens' grounder, on an obstruction call at the plate.

North Medford's Brittany Griffor scores after being obstructed by Sunset catcher Tasha Silvius.

Frietas steals second, as the throw sails into center, and it looks like another run is coming in when Storey lifts a fly into the wind in left field, but with the ball curling away, Angela Umscheid tracks it down with a turning catch to limit the damage in the inning to one run.

Umscheid leads off, and drives a full count pitch over the left field wall for the weekend's first home run, on only the second hit Schmidt has allowed.

Two batters later, Schmidt walks Hanna Boyd, and Meghan Lyons doubles down the first base line, putting two runners in scoring position. Kristina Trindle pops up, and after Johnson's line shot down the left field line lands foul, she strikes out, and the Apollos still trail by two with two innings left.

Sierra Berryessa reaches to leadoff for the Tornado, but Moore gets two infield outs. Berryessa steals third, but Hannah Leming strikes out looking to leave the potential insurance run stranded.

The middle of the Apollo order comes up in the sixth, and Sierra Anderson singles to right with one down. Umscheid goes to left again, a single this time, and Moore ties it with a two RBI double to left center.

Sunset's Jessie Moore (44) delivers a two RBI double,

...and Sierra Anderson scores, with Angela Umscheid (rounding third) to follow.

Boyd bounces out, and its three runs, six hits, 1 error each, but the Apollos had the momentum, having scored the last three runs, and have the last at bat.

Schmidt stated "Once they tied it, I had to stay mentally tough. I didn't change pitches, but I did need to try to be a little more precise."

The bottom of the order for the Tornado is up in the seventh, but this time they can't do a thing.

Sunset brings up the top of the order, but they go in order too, and we go to extra innings.

And now the Tornado is at the top of the order.

But despite a single by Storey, a double play means Moore faces only three hitters.

Del Balzo starts Sunset off with a single over the second baseman, and Erin Gray comes on to run. But she gets picked off after turning too wide at second on the sacrifice, and Sunset squanders a scoring opportunity.

Shelby Hankee singles to center for Sunset, and up comes Umscheid again. But Hankee is gunned out easily on the steal, and we go to the ninth inning.

Middle of the order for North Medford, and Amana Wolfe wacks a single to left center to start things off. Berressa comes on to run, and when two fielders can't handle Tejay's bunt, the Tornado has two on with none out.

Hannah Leming advances Beressa, and sister Kelsey scores her with a sacrifice.

North Medford's Kelsey Leming (15) delivers the game winning bunt.

Bottom of the order for Sunset, and Umscheid pops out for the first out. Moore works the count full, and draws the walk. Katie Beasley runs for Moore, and Hanna Boyd advances her. With the entire southern Oregon side of the stadium standing, Lyons singles to right, but Beasley has to be held up at third.

But Kristina Trindle grounds out with a full count, and the Tornado has their fifth title, 4-3 in eight innings.

"This is big," Mayben said. "It returns the Tornado to the Championship. Dating to way before I came here, the Black Tornado has been about community, and winning as a family. The community built these kids a new facility this year, and they responded, getting the program back on top."

North Medford got three hits, three runs, and an RBI out of the bottom of the order, the key to the game. "All playoffs long, the bottom of the order has produced," Mayben said. "That allows us to play two kinds of offense, which makes the small ball a lot more effective."

"This group of kids has worked their tails off, and did all the little things, and they did them as a family," Mayben explained. "Early on, we saw this was a special group, one we could make a deep run with, for those reasons."

Mayben credited Sunset for the stiff challenge they provided as well, observing "They did a terrific job, especially with no seniors. They will be tough to beat next year."

Mayben also credited his senior pitcher, noting "Taylor's been a rock for us. She runs the team, and because she has faith in the defense, they have total faith in her. We only lose two players, ourselves (Schmidt and Griffor), but those will be big ones."

North Medford's senior pitcher Taylor Schmidt delivers a strike.

Even in the face of the Sunset three run rally, and then in the ninth, with the tieing run 90 feet out, Schmidt remained confident, explaining "Usually, I would be nervous under in those situations, but I knew this team would back me up."

The State Champion North Medford Black Tornado.

That backup made for what Schmidt described as a perfect day, as she headed for the bus back to Medford, and graduation ceremonies. "To win the state championship, and then graduate from high school, it couldn't be a better day."

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