The Philomath High School baseball team rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning but fell short to visiting Newport, 12-11, in an Oregon West Conference matchup.
The Warriors (10-9 overall, 5-6 Oregon West) trailed 12-7 going into the seventh. Brayden Shenk led off with a double and took third on a passed ball while Wylie Griffith worked a walk. Mason Stearns then reached on an error while Shenk scored. Caleb Babcock followed with a double to drive in Griffith and cut the Newport lead to 12-9.
Stearns then tagged up and scored on a flyball out for the Warriors. Later with two outs, David Griffith reached on an error while Babcock scored to make it 12-11. With the tying run on base, the game ended on a flyout to right field.
Newport led 7-1 at one point before the Warriors started coming back. In the first, Grant Niemann had a one-run single to get the home team on the scoreboard. Mason Stearns had a one-run single in the second.
Philomath scored twice in the third and three times in the fourth to cut Newport’s lead to one. In the third, Ty May hit a two-run double and in the fourth, Stearns scored on Babcock’s sacrifice fly and David Griffith connected on a two-run double.
But Newport responded with four runs in the sixth and held the Warriors scoreless in the fifth and sixth. Philomath stranded runners at second and third in the fifth, unable to take advantage of a double by Stearns. In the sixth, Philomath’s first two batters got on base but they were stranded as well.
Stearns went 4 for 5 to lead PHS hitters. Niemann and May went 2 for 4 and Russell finished 2 for 5. Stearns, Babcock, Niemann, David Griffith and May each drove in two runs.
Joe Barnes, Logan Matthews and Stearns all saw time on the mound. Only five of Newport’s 12 runs were earned.
The Warriors and Cubs are scheduled to play again on Saturday at Terry Stephenson Field but not against each other. La Grande will be visiting from the eastern part of the state and will play Philomath at noon and Newport at 2:30.
