The Philomath High baseball team’s winning streak has ended at 13.
Newport scored in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 3-2 lead and then stranded a PHS base runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh to post the one-run victory.
The two teams will meet again at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday on Philomath’s Terry Stephenson Field. Then it moves back to Newport’s Frank Wade Field for the series finale.
The Warriors have dropped a game behind North Marion in the Oregon West Conference standings at 9-1. Newport is solidly in third place at 6-4.
Philomath errors played a role in the outcome, including back-to-back miscues in the third inning that helped Newport (11-7 overall) score its first two runs. Starting pitcher Mason Stearns did get out of a bases-loaded jam, however, to limit further damage.
In the fourth, the Warriors (14-5 overall) responded with a pair of runs. Sophomore Caleb Babcock led off the inning with a single to left field and junior Brady Russell homered to left field to tie the score. Following the Russell home run, Newport changed pitchers and sophomore Ryder Hockema was on the mark the rest of the way, allowing three hits and one walk with six strikeouts.
Newport led off the sixth with a single by junior Chris Jacobsen, who a few minutes later stole second. Junior Ethan Bruns hit a grounder to the shortstop and Philomath got the out on a throw to first but Jacobsen was able to advance to third. Freshman Collin Fierro then hit a single to left to drive in Jacobsen for the lead.
In the seventh, sophomore Rocco De La Rosa led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice hit by junior Logan Matthews. But the game ended on a strikeout and lineout to right field.
Philomath was limited to five hits scattered throughout the lineup. Stearns went five innings and allowed five hits, no earned runs and four walks with two strikeouts in a no-decision appearance. Wylie Griffith pitched the sixth.
Junior Rory Barber went 2 for 3 to lead the Newport offense.
