Stayton junior Ryland Thiessen hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give his team a 5-4 win Monday over Philomath in an Oregon West Conference baseball game.
The Eagles, 13-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference, are ranked No. 5 in the latest Oregon School Activities Association rankings. The teams will meet again at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Philomath’s Terry Stephenson Field.
The Warriors (6-9, 2-2) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Junior Jacob Hernandez scored when sophomore Sammy Hernandez reached on an error while bunting. Sophomore Jayce Iverson reached home when senior Wylie Griffith put a ball in play to the shortstop.
In the third, down 3-2, the Warriors tied the score when junior CK Kvidt reached on an error. Senior Caleb Babcock, who led off the inning with a double to right field, scored on the play.
The Eagles took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth but Philomath responded in the top of the sixth when junior Gavin Bennett hit a two-out infield single to drive in junior AJ Altishin, who had reached earlier when hit by a pitch.
In the seventh, Stayton sent sophomore Liam Brown to the mound and he struck out the side. In the bottom half, the Eagles opened the inning with a single and a walk before Philomath recorded two quick outs on a bunt attempt to first base that did not advance the runners and on a strikeout by Griffith, who was on the mound in relief. But Thiessen came through with a single to center field to end the game.
Kvidt started at pitcher for the Warriors and in six innings allowed four hits, one earned run and no walks with eight strikeouts. At the plate, Babcock went 2 for 2 with a double and two walks. Iverson was 2 for 4 with a double.
Stayton starter Colton Connally, a senior, went six innings and allowed eight hits, one earned run and three walks with three strikeouts before Brown entered in the seventh. Offensively, senior Mason Silbernagel went 2 for 4.
Stayton 5, Philomath 4
Monday, April 27, at Stayton HS
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Philomath (6-9, 2-2) 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 4 8 2 Stayton (13-2, 3-1) 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 5 6 2
Kvidt, Griffith (7) and Herbert; Connally, Brown (7) and Thiessen. W — Brown. L — Griffith. 2B — Iverson (P), Babcock (P), Meeker (S), Silbernagel (S).
Junior varsity: Stayton 5, Philomath 1.