Junior righthander Wylie Griffith tossed a complete-game five-hitter and senior Grant Niemann collected a game-winning RBI in Philomath High’s 3-2 victory Saturday over La Grande.
The Warriors (5-1-1) finished the week with three victories in four days. Philomath beat Crook County on Wednesday, 10-1, and took down Crescent Valley on Friday, 6-3.
La Grande (3-5), which has lost three one-run games this season, jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Warriors in the top of the first. Junior Landon Hood and junior Ryder McIlmoil opened the game with back-to-back singles and then after a strikeout, sophomore Darek McIlmoil drove them both in with a double to right field.
But Philomath’s Griffith settled down after the first inning and allowed just two more hits and no runs over the next six innings. During one stretch, Griffith retired 12 straight batters. He finished with seven strikeouts and no walks.
The Warriors got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. Junior Caleb Babcock opened the inning with a single and Niemann then took one for the team to put two runners on the bases with no outs. Sophomore AJ Altishin followed two batters late and hit a line-drive single to right field. Both Babcock and Niemann scored to tie the game.
Philomath took the lead in the fifth inning. Griffith led off with a single to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Later in the inning with two outs and Griffith still at second, Niemann drove him in with a double to left field.
La Grande threatened in the seventh when senior Jordan Tucker got aboard with a one-out single. After advancing to second on a passed ball, Tucker then made it to third on a teammate’s groundout. But Griffith ended the game with a strikeout.
Philomath had six hits in the game with Griffith going 2 for 2.
The Tigers actually played a doubleheader at Terry Stephenson Field with Tillamook coming over from the coast for a ballgame. La Grande was able to pull out a 6-5 win in that one.
Philomath will hit the road Tuesday for a jaunt over to West Albany. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
