Philomath High’s baseball team evened its series with Newport Wednesday behind strong pitching, exceptional defense and timely hitting that all added up to a 7-3 victory.
The Warriors posted the win following a pregame ceremony that honored Paul “Jeff” Cochran on the 56th anniversary of his death in Vietnam. Players wore fatigue-style uniforms as part of their tribute to Cochran, who played PHS baseball in the mid-1960s.
Gallery: PHS baseball vs. Newport (May 1, 2024)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s 7-3 baseball win at home over Newport on Wednesday.
The matchup was the latest installment in a competitive baseball rivalry that goes back decades, including some intense matchups during Philomath coach Levi Webber’s 15 years leading the Warriors. The two schools are typically among the best in the conference with league titles and playoff berths on the line — again the case this season. PHS can clinch an automatic berth into the Class 4A playoffs with a win in the rubber match Thursday on the road.
Two years ago, longtime head coach Ken Riley retired and was inducted into the Oregon High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He’s still with the program as an assistant under Taylor Plesha.
“It’s just one of those rivalries where you know — Coach Riley talked about it in his Hall of Fame speech — where it’s a rivalry but it’s against your friends and you want to beat your friends the most,” Webber said. “So that’s kind of how it is, you know, we enjoy playing them because we know they’re going to compete and they’re going to give us everything.”
Webber then added, “But it’s always fun to beat your friends.”
The Warriors (15-5 overall, 10-1 Oregon West) committed five errors in Monday’s 3-2 loss on the Coast, including two in the sixth with a high throw from third to first and then an errant pickoff attempt, that helped the Cubs take the lead and ultimately win.
“It was a great way to respond not just defensively but offensively because we had some opportunities on Monday over there that we didn’t take advantage of,” Webber said. “Today, we took advantage of just about everyone that we had so it was good to see.”
Philomath had two errors in Wednesday’s win on an early infield boot and later on a pickoff attempt but there were also several exceptional plays.
“It was probably as good of a defensive game as we’ve played all year,” Webber said. “(Second baseman) Kayson (Olsen) made a handful of really, really nice plays, (shortstop) Mason (Stearns) made some nice plays, the outfielders ran down some balls and it was fun to see.”
The game got off to a suspect start with Newport (11-8, 6-5) scoring twice in the top of the first. Warriors starter Joe Barnes struggled finding the plate early and walked four batters.
“The first inning was slow and he was struggling to put it in the zone,” said Barnes’s catcher, junior Grant Niemann said. “But then our teammates and I, we got him up and told him to believe in himself and he relaxed a little bit and then he shoved it.”
Although there was the issue with walks, Barnes actually allowed no hits in the first and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
“The first inning was not his best stuff but you know what, the second through the sixth may have been the best he’s thrown all year,” Webber said. “I mean, he was dominant after the first. … I’m super proud of Joe — every game, he goes through a rough patch but today more than any so far, he’s regrouped and was just outstanding.”
Niemann has been behind the plate for a number of outstanding pitching performances this season. He’s witnessed an impressive level of improvement since the season’s early games.
“JJ’s been working with us, getting our mechanics down, all those things and stuff that we need to do to put it in the zone,” Niemann said, referring to assistant JJ Faxon.
After falling into the 2-0 hole, the Warriors quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first with two runs of their own. Stearns got the first run in with a single to left that plated Logan Matthews. Then with two outs, Brady Russell connected with a double to bring in Stearns.
The game remained tied into the fourth. Kash Lindsey and AJ Altishin both singled to start the inning and Stearns later drove them both in on a two-run single. Then in the fifth, Rocco De La Rosa came through with two outs by hitting a two-run single to left for a 6-2 lead.
The two teams traded runs in the sixth. Newport broke up the no-hitter and was able to push a run across. Philomath countered in the bottom half on a one-run Caleb Babcock single.
In his six innings, Barnes allowed just the one hit with five walks and seven strikeouts. Matthews took the hill in the seventh and ended the game with a 1-2-3 inning on a strikeout and two infield groundouts.
At the plate, Stearns ended up going 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Russell was also 3 for 4 and had the game’s only extra-base hit.
Newport pitcher Tyler Mattson went the distance for his team and allowed 11 hits with three walks and one strikeout.
As mentioned, the Warriors could clinch an automatic berth in the state playoffs with a win Thursday as one of the top two teams in the conference. Next week, Philomath will face first-place North Marion in a showdown for the league title.
The Warriors have won 14 of 15 after getting off to a 1-4 start this season.
“We had a very slow start and lost to some teams that we shouldn’t have lost to and to come back from that and have a super-long winning streak felt really good,” Niemann said.
Asked what the key is to see success in the postseason, Niemann referenced the mental part of the game.
“We need to stick together and not let our emotions get the best of us and stay focused.”
