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MEDFORD — Colin Sowers hit a walk-off three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to give North Medford a thrilling 7-5 win over Roseburg in both teams’ Southwest Conference baseball opener Tuesday.
The Indians led 5-4 entering the bottom of the seventh, when Sowers sent the deciding shot to left field on a full count. A North Medford hit and Roseburg error set the stage.
“Basically the story of the game was us giving up four runs in the first inning on a couple of errors,” Roseburg coach Troy Thompson said.
The Tribe rallied after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning. Josh Davis’ two-run single and Derek Priestley’s RBI double in the fourth cut the deficit to one. An RBI triple by Mitch Huff and RBI single by Vince Ampi provided Roseburg with a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning.
Huff was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for the Indians (6-3, 0-1 SWC). Brandon Jackson struck out four and allowed six hits, four walks and seven runs (four earned) in a complete-game effort. The Indians committed two of their three errors in the first inning.
“It was a poor way to start to the game,” Thompson said. “We did a great job of battling back and taking the lead and had a chance to win the ball game in the bottom of the seventh, and it didn’t happen.”
Cody James doubled for the Black Tornado.
SWC coaches ranked Roseburg first in a pre-season poll. The Indians earned four first-place votes and North Medford received two top votes and was ranked second. Sheldon was third, Grants Pass fourth and South Medford and South Eugene finished tied for fifth.
Roseburg 000 320 0 — 5 5 3
N. Medford 400 000 3 — 7 6 2
Jackson and Ampi; Maurer, Shipley (7) and Sowers. WP — Shipley. LP — Jackson (3-1). HR — Sowers (NM). 3B — Huff (R). 2B — James (NM), Huff (R), Priestley (R).
The Indians led 5-4 entering the bottom of the seventh, when Sowers sent the deciding shot to left field on a full count. A North Medford hit and Roseburg error set the stage.
“Basically the story of the game was us giving up four runs in the first inning on a couple of errors,” Roseburg coach Troy Thompson said.
The Tribe rallied after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning. Josh Davis’ two-run single and Derek Priestley’s RBI double in the fourth cut the deficit to one. An RBI triple by Mitch Huff and RBI single by Vince Ampi provided Roseburg with a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning.
Huff was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for the Indians (6-3, 0-1 SWC). Brandon Jackson struck out four and allowed six hits, four walks and seven runs (four earned) in a complete-game effort. The Indians committed two of their three errors in the first inning.
“It was a poor way to start to the game,” Thompson said. “We did a great job of battling back and taking the lead and had a chance to win the ball game in the bottom of the seventh, and it didn’t happen.”
Cody James doubled for the Black Tornado.
SWC coaches ranked Roseburg first in a pre-season poll. The Indians earned four first-place votes and North Medford received two top votes and was ranked second. Sheldon was third, Grants Pass fourth and South Medford and South Eugene finished tied for fifth.
Roseburg 000 320 0 — 5 5 3
N. Medford 400 000 3 — 7 6 2
Jackson and Ampi; Maurer, Shipley (7) and Sowers. WP — Shipley. LP — Jackson (3-1). HR — Sowers (NM). 3B — Huff (R). 2B — James (NM), Huff (R), Priestley (R).
