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ENLARGE
Bo Younker was the winning pitcher for the Monarchs.
KEIZER — Life doesn't always offer second chances.
When the opportunity for redemption came for Michael Graham and Jacob Lum, the Umpqua Valley Christian baseball players took advantage.
Graham hit a solo home run that proved to be the winning run in the Monarchs' 2-1 win over Union in the Class 2A/1A state championship game Friday. Lum played flawless at third base on a strong day for the UVC defense.
A year ago, Graham and Lum hung their heads in the same Volcanoes Stadium locker room after a 5-4 loss to Portland Christian in eight innings.
In that game, Lum also played seven perfect innings at third base. But after a pitching change that completely shuffled the infield, Lum — then a freshman — wound up playing second, where he couldn't pick a groundball and allowed the tying run aboard in the eighth. Graham walked in the winning run four batters later.
“I'm just glad God gave me a second chance to go out and get the job done,” Graham said Friday.
A young UVC team overachieved to get to 2008 championship game, but their lack of depth was exposed in the late innings when pitcher Ryan Graf tired after numerous innings in their playoff run.
This year, the Monarchs showed increased depth and flexibility throughout the season, thanks in part to the transfer of Bo Younker from South Umpqua, who wound up as the Class 2A/1A player of the year and player of the championship game.
Even when Graf was out for 13 weeks with a shoulder injury, Younker, Austin Stone and Michael and Mitchell Graham were able to carry the pitching staff through a 23-game winning streak and District 4 title.
When Younker met the end of his starting stint Friday after five innings of four-hit ball, UVC again shuffled its lineup. But this time Graf took over on the mound, Graham moved from catcher to second and Younker caught.
“Our best defense is when Ryan is on the mound,” UVC coach Dave York said. “We feel confident with him there and with that defense.”
Immediately after Graf took over, Lum retired Union's Austin Woodward — a first-team all-state selection — for the first of six consecutive outs to finish the game.
“Even if we did have to move Jacob, it wouldn't have mattered — we have so much confidence in him this year,” said Stone, who made the defensive play of the season in the third inning with a run-saving barehanded flip at shortstop.
“My job at shortstop is to keep Jacob calm,” Stone said. “Before the seventh inning he was pretty nervous, but I told him to stay relaxed and just make the plays he has all season long. And he did.”
• You can reach sports reporter Rob McCallum by e-mail at rmccallum@nrtoday.com, or by phone at 957-4221.
When the opportunity for redemption came for Michael Graham and Jacob Lum, the Umpqua Valley Christian baseball players took advantage.
Graham hit a solo home run that proved to be the winning run in the Monarchs' 2-1 win over Union in the Class 2A/1A state championship game Friday. Lum played flawless at third base on a strong day for the UVC defense.
A year ago, Graham and Lum hung their heads in the same Volcanoes Stadium locker room after a 5-4 loss to Portland Christian in eight innings.
In that game, Lum also played seven perfect innings at third base. But after a pitching change that completely shuffled the infield, Lum — then a freshman — wound up playing second, where he couldn't pick a groundball and allowed the tying run aboard in the eighth. Graham walked in the winning run four batters later.
“I'm just glad God gave me a second chance to go out and get the job done,” Graham said Friday.
A young UVC team overachieved to get to 2008 championship game, but their lack of depth was exposed in the late innings when pitcher Ryan Graf tired after numerous innings in their playoff run.
This year, the Monarchs showed increased depth and flexibility throughout the season, thanks in part to the transfer of Bo Younker from South Umpqua, who wound up as the Class 2A/1A player of the year and player of the championship game.
Even when Graf was out for 13 weeks with a shoulder injury, Younker, Austin Stone and Michael and Mitchell Graham were able to carry the pitching staff through a 23-game winning streak and District 4 title.
When Younker met the end of his starting stint Friday after five innings of four-hit ball, UVC again shuffled its lineup. But this time Graf took over on the mound, Graham moved from catcher to second and Younker caught.
“Our best defense is when Ryan is on the mound,” UVC coach Dave York said. “We feel confident with him there and with that defense.”
Immediately after Graf took over, Lum retired Union's Austin Woodward — a first-team all-state selection — for the first of six consecutive outs to finish the game.
“Even if we did have to move Jacob, it wouldn't have mattered — we have so much confidence in him this year,” said Stone, who made the defensive play of the season in the third inning with a run-saving barehanded flip at shortstop.
“My job at shortstop is to keep Jacob calm,” Stone said. “Before the seventh inning he was pretty nervous, but I told him to stay relaxed and just make the plays he has all season long. And he did.”
• You can reach sports reporter Rob McCallum by e-mail at rmccallum@nrtoday.com, or by phone at 957-4221.
