West upsets South in CVC baseball finale’
Titans grab their first win in conference play over champion Saxons, plus more results
Coming into Friday’s Central Valley Conference baseball game at John Lewis Field, the West Salem Titans were near the bottom of the state 6A power rankings. The season had been a rough one, to be perfectly frank.
The Titans had won just three games on the year—and only one in the state of Oregon. They had to play on the home field of the South Salem Saxons, who had 19 wins on the year, and had clinched the CVC baseball crown Wednesday by shutting out West 8-0.
The mood was festive prior to the contest—as South absorbed the joy of winning the league crown earlier in the week.
But that upbeat atmosphere was quickly extinguished on a warm Friday afternoon—as the upstart Titans scored three runs in the first inning—and never looked back in an 11-5 stunner.
West’s initial offensive surge started slowly, as senior right-hander Cole Weiland recorded the first two outs for South to open the game with an infield fly and a ground out to shortstop.
But Titan Matt Luke singled, and then Weiland walked catcher Carter Howard. Starting West Salem pitcher Chase Garland then doubled home Luke and Howard. Trey Ward followed with a single to bring home Garland, but was thrown out trying to take second base on the same play.
West led 3-0 after the first half inning.
Garland gave up a walk in the bottom half of the first, and forced a ground out and recorded a pair of strikeouts. However, he also had several passed balls that converted into a Saxon run from Weiland to make it 3-1.
South stifled the Titan offense in the second, then generated a run after Garland issued a walk to first baseman Braedy Vogt. Kevin Semm’s one-out single moved Vogt to second—and Braedy then came home on a throwing error that also moved Semm to third. A Saxon ground out ended the inning and left the score at 3-2.
West stretched the lead in the third as the Titans teed off on Weiland’s pitching. Two doubles and a single, combined with a walk and a throwing error produced four runs. West’s lead stood at 7-2, and remained that way until the sixth inning.
The Titans delivered a near knockout blow in the top of the sixth, pounding relief pitcher Kayden Wagner with five hits and producing four runs in the process. Despite leaving two on base, West had a commanding 11-2 advantage going to the bottom of the sixth.
South finally found a little offense late—rapping out three hits and producing three runs in the process. But the Saxons left the bases loaded when Weiland chased a high pitch for a strikeout. West’s lead was 11-5 going into the seventh.
West had a scoring opportunity snuffed quickly in the last inning. With one out, Tyler Lockhart doubled. Aiden Rock then hit a sharp grounder to short stop. Freshman Sawyer Nelson threw a laser to first base to put out Rock, and Braedy Vogt then replied with his own screaming throw to the bag that nailed Lockhart trying to take third.
The score remained 11-5, West.
In the bottom of the frame, South got off to a hot start. Teagan Scott crushed a ball into the right center field gap for a double. Daschel Smith came to hit for the Saxons, and drew a walk.
That brought up Luke Erwin, who hit a short line drive to left field. West Salem sophomore Cole Hansen made a diving stab at the ball—and appeared to make the catch, until it dribbled out of his glove when he hit the ground.
Scott thought the ball was caught, and retreated back to second. Hansen threw quickly to third to force Scott out—while Smith scrambled down to second to avoid a double play.
South didn’t recover from the big play. A fly out to Hansen was followed by a single from Jackson Buckingham. But Sawyer Nelson’s fly out ended the game.
Both dugouts were a bit somber following the game. South’s power ranking was altered by the loss to West. The Titans’ ranking is still low, but did rise to 35th. West Coach Taylor Blair—in his 17th season with the program—says the four-win season isn’t what anyone expected coming into the year.
“We never got over the hump this season,” admits Blair. His team finished 4-20, 1-8 in the CVC.
“I am still extremely proud of our kids—they played hard all season.”
Like South Salem, West has a lot of young talent---mostly sophomores. But they never put it all together in a consistent way in 2023.
Both teams have a little more baseball to play next week.
West has just one additional game scheduled—against Sheldon of Eugene on Tuesday.
South has three games to tune up for the post season, entertaining 5A-power Central on Tuesday, and then has games against South Eugene and Barlow on the road Wednesday and Thursday
Sprague 11, McNary 8: The Olympians outscored the Celtics in the final game of their baseball series Friday in Keizer. Sprague finishes in a tie with South Salem atop the CVC standings at 7-2, but South won two of three from the Olys to claim the conference crown and the number one seed.
Sprague has one tune up-game before the playoffs, hosting Canby in a 5:00 pm game on Tuesday. McNary has three more games: Tuesday at West Albany, Wednesday at home versus Dallas, and Thursday at Bend.
CVC Softball
West Salem 12, McNary 4; Sprague 17, North Salem 0: Friday’s games for 2023 softball produced these incomplete standings—
McNary 10-2 (17-6)
South Salem 7-3 (16-5)
West Salem 6-5 (11-10)
Sprague 4-7 (9-15)
North Salem 0-10 (0-20)
In the all-important power rankings, second-place South Salem is now rated sixth statewide, while McNary is in the #10 spot among all 46 6A teams. West Salem is ranked #18.
South hosted a non-conference contest Friday vs. eighth-rated Mountainside of Beaverton—and shutout the Mavericks 7-0. Rowan Thompson earned the victory on the mound for the Saxons. Thompson came into the game with 214 strikeouts in 109 innings of work.
South Salem actually completes their CVC season next week, with games versus North Salem (Saturday) and Sprague (Tuesday). South’s last game is a non-league tune-up contest at Forest Grove on Thursday. McNary has a pair of pre-playoff contests: Monday at #14 Jesuit and Tuesday at home versus #9 Westview.
Don’t blink—more games to be played before tournament games are scheduled.
Thanks for update! It’s great to know what is going on in Salem area athletics when living here over the Cascade mountains!