Comets and Crimson Tide Meet in Rematch

The fifth ranked Crater Comets (20-8), second seed from the Southern Sky Conference, again face the top ranked Glencoe Crimson Tide (25-5), champions of the Northwest Oregon League, for the 5A state title, in the weekend’s second rematch of a championship game from last year. The Comets won the 2007 title by a score of 7-5.

The Comets’ drive to defend their title has seen Crater face the second toughest Strength of Schedule in 5A, behind only Southern Sky rival Ashland, who took 3 of 4 meetings with the Comets. Crater has already conquered one ranked NW Oregon team in the playoffs, with a 5-1 win over Hillsboro. In reaching the title game, the Comets have defeated three ranked opponents.

All but one of the Glencoe losses were to 6A teams, who have 14 shutouts on the season, and seven more games where they only allowed one run. The Tide has only allowed on run in their three post season games. The one loss to 5A NW Oregon rival Century, was well avenged, as, after taking the next two meetings between the Hillsboro area schools, the Tide rolled to a 1-0 win over Century in the semifinals to reach Corvallis.

(Updated with photos.)

The black clad Comets were the visitors against their last NWOC opponent in Hillsboro, but have been home since then. They are up first today, while the Crimson (and White over Black) Tide, who traveled no further than Century High across town previously in the playoffs get the home designation today.

The game will start over a half hour late, due to the great 2 hour 40 minute, 10 inning game for the 4A title. The sellout crowd needs the time to catch their breath, and get ready for another great game.

Emily Morrill singles right off the bat, and then Kayla Hopkinson's bouncer to third draws a wild throw, which advances the runners, and Morrill scores on a second bad throw to second. Hopkinson gets picked off third for the second out before the camera battery can even be changed! Another groundout to second ends it, but Crater has shot to a 1-0 lead.

Alyssa Gillespie works the count full, whacks a fan with a foul, then walks to start the Tide.

Glencoe’s Alyssa Gillespie (22) survives a throw back at first base because the ball got away from Denae Grant. The play was key, as Gillespie went on to score.

Ashlie Allison strikes out; Jordyn Brown fouls one across the street. Gillespie goes to second as the throw sails into center, and gets to third on Brown's sacrifice. That's huge, as a passed ball ties the game! Dacia Hale eventually walks, bringing the player of the game for Glencoe in last year's game to the plate. She strikes out, though, but its a new start, tied at 1-1 after 1 blazing paced inning.

Brittany Reeves strikes out, and Sarah Haga hammers a shot to right field, but Hale guns her out at first from right! Kara Perdue swings at strike 3 and the Comets are gone.

Glencoe right fielder Dacia Hale throws to Taylor Fery to retire Crater’s Sarah Haga.

Meghan Dendinger gets ahead on the count, but Reeves battles back, though she loses her to a walk. Taylor Fery lays down a bunt, but Reeves throws to second to get the lead runner.

Crater pitcher Brittany Reeves got the win in the circle in the championship game.

Freshman Jordan Kreiger, who lead the Tide with a .375 batting average, hits in the eighth spot, and peppers the right side of the stadium with fouls before striking out. Emily Atkins strikes out much less eventfully.

Crater designated player Tara Ruvalcaba grounds out to first; Dennae Grant does too. Morrill fouls out to the catcher, and the game has settled down from the furious start.

Top of the order up for the Tide, and Reeves struggles with her control some, leading to a Gillespie infield single. Allison bangs it back to Reeves, who again takes out the lead runner. Crater is very fundamentally sound at that play.

Brown swings at a pitch in the dirt, but survives to send a soft single to left, advancing Allison. Hale advances both of them with a banger to Reeves. Schribner looks at a strike on the outside corner to end the scoring threat. Still 1-1 after 3 innings.

Crater catcher Sarah Haga saves a run with great catch of a high pitch, with Ashlie Allison on third.

Hopkinson pops to left and Larson grounds to second. But Bates singles to right. No harm though; Reeves grounds to short for the third out.

Dendinger flys out to right, as Grant makes a running in grab. Fery flys out to second; Kreiger flys out to right. 3 up, 3 up in the air. Still 1-1 after 4 innings.

Haga hits a hard one to third, but is easily out. Perdue puts up much more of a battle, but her grounder to short has the same effect. Ruvalcaba bangs one off Brown's foot in the circle, but Scribner scoops it at short, and guns Ruvalcaba out.

Glencoe shortstop Jenna Schribner threw two runners out in the fifth inning.

Breyanna Reed comes on to pitch the bottom of the fifth inning for Crater, and gets Atkins to pop out to first.

Crater relief pitcher Breyanna Reed (11) delivers a pitch.

Gillespie grounds to short, but beats it out for a single. Gillespie goes to second with a clean steal, and tags and goes to third on Allison's fly to right. She scores on Bates's single to left center. Hale flys out to second, but Glencoe has a 2-1 lead after 5 innings.

Glencoe’s Alyssa Gillespie scores to put the Tide up 2-1.

After 2 warmups pitches, Brown is ready for Grant, who grounds out on the first pitch. The next pitch hits Morrill, and the Crater crowd is up. But Hopkinson hits the first pitch to third, and Morrill is removed at second. Larson triples off the next pitch, scoring Hopkinson.

Crater’s Kayla Hopkinson scores to tie the game at 2-2.

New pitcher for Glencoe is Sloan Anderson. She stops her delivery, scoring Larson on an illegal pitch! Cause is unclear. Bates flys out to center, but Crater has taken the lead back, 3-2.

Glencoe’s Sloan Anderson came on to pitch in the sixth inning.

Scribner grounds out to short; Dendinger grounds out to second, and so does Fery. Glencoe is going to need that home field last at bat. We go to the seventh, with the Comets up 3-2.

Crater’s Ashleigh Larson throws out Glencoe’s Meghan Dendinger.

Reeves lines out, but Haga lines a single to right for the Comets, as they look for an insurance run. Perdue advances Haga with a bouncer to the circle. Ruvalcaba suffers the first strikeout since the third inning, stranding Haga.

We go to the bottom of the seventh!

Kreiger hits a towering shot right in front of the plate, and is on second by the time it comes down, and bounces foul. The next pitch is fouled off much faster. Then she pops out to second. Anderson singles to left, bringing the top of the order up, with the tieing run on. Kelsey Coussens comes in to run.

Gillespie gets struck out, one out to go. Allison singles to center, and Tre Sullivan comes in for her. Crater Coach Chris Arnold comes out to consider the strategy will all 9 Comets.

Brown drives a shot to center, but before Coussens can score, Sullivan is tagged out at third! Comets defend their title 3-2!

Glencoe’s Kelsey Coussens was this close to scoring on the timing play when Tre’ Sullivan was put out at third base.

Crater Coach Arnold gave all the credit to Morrill in center field, saying "That was completely Morrill's read to make that throw." Morrill exclaimed "I was trying to get the runner at home, but I bobbled the ball, so I knew I had to get the runner at third. It was just instinctive!"

Glencoe Coach Jacy Schmidt explained the sequence, saying "I was signaling Kelsey home, and Tre' thought I was signaling her on to third. She shouldn't have come, but it wasn't her fault. It's tough with two runners."

Coach Arnold expressed "That was a pretty emotional finish! This group hasn't been as consistent defensively as we would like all season. To see them win it on a great defensive play is pretty special."

Crater celebrates their second consecutive state title.

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