The Crook County Cowboy baseball team won a wild Tri-Valley Conference game on Thursday, May 2, edging Estacada 14-13 in extra innings.
“It shouldn't have been that close,” said senior catcher Tyis Yustat following the game.
Given that Estacada is 1-11 in league and 7-15 overall while Crook County is 10-1 in league and 16-4 overall, Yustat is probably right. However, if you look at stats from the game it could easily have gone either way.
“Games like this are real important,” said head coach Steele Bailey. “Not that we are looking ahead, but getting in the playoffs, we are going to face some adversity and we need these experiences to draw on so we have confidence going into the playoffs.”
Playing at home probably helped the Cowboys win the game as it took until the bottom of the ninth inning to decide things.
Estacada scored a run in the first and two in the second. However, Crook County kept pace, scoring one in the first and three in the second. After neither team scored in the third, Crook County added three more runs in the fourth inning to jump ahead 7-3.
However, no lead would be safe on Thursday. Estacada exploded for eight runs in the top of the fifth inning on two walks, a Crook County error, six singles and a double, to roll out to an 11-7 lead.
The Cowboys quickly battled back scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning to close to within a run. The inning started with an Austin Vaughan solo home run. Tyson Martinez walked before Clayton Dill hit a sacrifice fly that moved Martinez to second. Trenton Tucker then hit a bloop single that lit just behind Estacada's first baseman. Ethan Lamphere then walked to load the bases. Zach Allen then hit a check swing back to the pitcher, who threw Martinez out at home. Yustat then singled to right to score a pair of runs, before Gage Martinez struck out to end the inning.
Estacada added a run in the sixth inning to make the score 12-10. However, once again Crook County came roaring back, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning on an infield single by Hayden Forman, followed by singles from Dill and Lamphere, along with a pair of Estacada errors, to regain the lead.
“They are really focusing up when they need to and finding a way to put the barrel on the ball and find a way to move runners over,” Bailey said. “Just do the job. The name of the game in baseball is get a guy on, get a guy over and then get a guy in, and so that is what we are really trying to do is get a guy on, get them over and get them in.”
Estacada tied the game in the top of the seventh on a single to right, a fielder's choice, a balk and a Crook County error. That's the way the game stayed until the bottom of the ninth when Forman started the inning with a double. Estacada then intentionally walked Vaughan before Tyson Marinez ripped a shot to center field. Martinez ended up on second base, but officially it was a single as play, and the game, ended as soon as Forman crossed home plate.
“I think this really shows who we are as a team,” Vaughan said. “No matter what we are going to find a way to come back and get the job done. I think being at home, we are seeing the baseball great. We are hitting the baseball great and we got clutch doubles from Forman and Martinez when we really needed them.”
Vaughan pitched the first four and a third innings for Crook County, striking out six and allowing nine hits and 10 runs. Allen came in to relieve Vaughan in the fifth inning and pitched the remainder of the game, allowing six hits and three runs, while striking out two.
Connor Crawford threw six innings for Estacada, allowing nine hits and seven runs, while Paul Ables threw three innings, giving up seven runs on five hits The two pitchers combined struck out six Crook County batters.
Estacada finished with 15 hits to 14 for the Cowboys, but all 15 Ranger hits were singles, while in addition to Vaughan's home run and Forman's double Yustat ripped a triple and Dill added a double for Crook County. In addition, Forman stole two bases, while Vaughan, Dill and Yustat each stole one.
The Cowboys have a busy week ahead. The team will play at Madras, 3-9, 10-12, on Monday, then host The Dalles, 10-2, 16-7, on Wednesday at 5 p.m. The team then travels to Molalla on Friday to end the league season with a doubleheader against the Indians, 5-6, 10-10.
Crook County is currently ranked eighth in the OSAA power rankings, while The Dalles is ninth. If both teams win their other games as expected, Wednesday's game will decide the league title. Both teams have already qualified for the state playoffs.
“There is more still,” Bailey said of making the playoffs. “What we really want is that league championship. We have had one in school history and that was in 2003, so we really want to put up another league championship.”
Crook County 14, Estacada 13
at Crook County, May 2
Estacada – 1 2 0 0 8 1 1 0 0 – 13 15 6
Crook County – 1 3 0 3 3 3 0 0 1 – 14 14 3
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