Senior Grant Niemann pitched a complete-game shutout, junior Rocco De La Rosa hit a home run and junior Caleb Babcock drove in three runs in Philomath’s 8-0 victory Saturday at Junction City.
The two teams had rescheduled the nonleague game after it had been rained out in the season’s first week. With the result, Junction City is No. 3 and Philomath No. 4 in the latest OSAA rankings.
Niemann’s first-ever complete-game shutout was backed up by a strong defensive effort, which included important catches by Babcock and sophomore Jacob Hernandez in the outfield and junior Wylie Griffith at second base. Niemann allowed five hits and one walk with three strikeouts in his first start this season and first appearance on the mound in nearly a month.
De La Rosa, who was hitting leadoff, set the tone early with a solo shot to left field on the game’s second pitch. The Warriors added two more runs to their lead in the third inning on a two-run, two-out single by Hernandez.
Philomath (10-2-1) broke open the game in the fifth by putting up four runs — all with two outs. The Warriors scored their fourth run when De La Rosa was hit by a pitch to force in a run with the bases loaded. Babcock followed with a double to right field that cleared the bases for an 7-0 lead.
The Warriors added another run in the sixth inning when sophomore Kayson Olsen reached home before Junction City executed an inning-ending double play.
Philomath finished with eight hits in the game — half of those by De La Rosa and Babcock at the top of the lineup.
Senior shortstop Owen Cooper went 2 for 3 for the Tigers (11-3).
Philomath is scheduled to open a three-game series against Stayton at home Monday with the first pitch at 5 p.m. The series moves to Stayton Wednesday and then back to Terry Stephenson Field Thursday.
