Oregon high school softball playoffs: 6A quarterfinals highlights; vote for Friday's top star

By Dan Brood 

The 6A Oregon high school softball playoffs continued Friday with quarterfinals action. Here's a look at some of the highlights.

Note: Entries are based on information provided by coaches. Don't see any details for your game? Email some notes/stats to danbrood91@gmail.com.

—

Tigard 5, Newberg 0

Tigard, which has yet to give up a postseason run behind the pitching of left-hander Makenna Reid, picked up the victory at Tigard High School.

Reid, a Florida State commit, gave up three hits while striking out 17 and walking two in getting the shutout. 

The Tigard offense struck for two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore Ella Dardis was hit by a pitch with one out and junior Nozomi Akin followed with a single to center. They both scored on senior Kani Korok’s two-out single, giving the home team a 2-0 lead.

Tigard added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Korok again had the big hit, smacking a one-out double to right field, once again plating Dardis and Akin.

Korok went 2 for 2 with a double, a walk and four RBIs. Akin went 2 for 3 with two runs. Sophomore Hailey White added a hit and an RBI.

For Newberg, senior Hayley Poff, junior Abby Carsley and senior Saayah Neiss each had a hit.

Neiss pitched a complete game for Newberg, striking out 10 and walking two.

Top-seeded Tigard, which improved to 27-3, will play host to McNary in a semifinal game Tuesday.

Newberg finished its season 23-6. 

McNary 2, Sheldon 0

The Celtics scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, and junior pitcher Lacey Vesas made those two runs hold up at McNary High School.

Vesas, pitching a complete game, gave up five hits while striking out four and walking three.

Vesas also ignited the Celtics’ first-inning offensive attack, hitting a leadoff single to center. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Aspynn Westby and scored when Sheldon committed an error on a ball hit by junior Heather Ebner. Junior Brookelynn Jackson singled in Ebner later in the inning, giving McNary its 2-0 lead.

Senior Hannah Ebner and sophomore Ali Martinez each added a hit. Hannah Ebner had 12 putouts at first base.

For Sheldon, senior Tori Leyba and sophomore Kinley Pappas each had two hits. Irish sophomore Payton Burnham pitched a strong game, giving up no earned runs while striking out six and walking one.

McNary, which moved to 24-5, will play at Tigard in a semifinal game Tuesday.

Sheldon finished its season 24-6. 

Oregon City 4, West Linn 3 (8 innings) 

The Pioneers picked up their second consecutive come-from-behind walk-off win, beating the Lions in extra innings at Oregon City High School.

“These girls don’t give up and are finding a way to get it done,” Oregon City coach Mackenzie Washington said.

West Linn jumped out to a 3-0 lead, getting a run on a sacrifice fly by senior Ava Sin in the top of the second inning and an RBI single by senior Chloe Benson in the top of the fourth. 

The Pioneers responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Preslie Ritz singled in one of the runs, and she scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Ellie Joseph, cutting the lead to 3-2.

Oregon City tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning when junior Gina Allen singled in sophomore Chloe Grimmer.

The Pioneers got the walk-off run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Allen walked to lead off the inning. She moved to third on a double by senior Phoebe Borkus and scored on a long foul-ball sacrifice fly by freshman Chloe Stromme.

Sophomore Lily Riley picked up the pitching win. She gave up three runs (none earned) on seven hits while striking out six and walking none in eight innings.

Borkus went 3 for 5 with two doubles for Oregon City.

For West Linn, seven players had one hit.

“West Linn played a hard-fought game against a great Oregon City team,” West Linn coach Gina Garvey said. “Addison Sobotta pitched another great game and her defense was there to back her up the whole game. It was a battle all the way up to the eighth inning.”

Oregon City, which improved to 21-7, will travel to Bend for a semifinal game Tuesday.

West Linn finished its season 9-19. 

Bend 13, McMinnville 3

Bend, after facing a 3-0 early deficit, scored 13 unanswered runs, hitting five home runs in the process, in getting the six-inning victory at Bend High School. 

McMinnville, getting a first-inning home run by senior Madelyn Powers and RBI singles by junior Libbey Hardee and senior Brynn McManus in the second inning, jumped out to a 3-0 lead. 

The Lava Bears got a solo home run by sophomore Addisen Fisher, a three-run homer by junior Gracie Goewey and a solo home run by senior Violet Loftus in the bottom of the third inning to claim a 5-3 lead.

Loftus hit another home run in the fourth inning, and Fisher added a home run in the fifth, helping the Lava Bears roll to the 10-run win.

Junior Sophia Weathers also had a big day for the Bend offense, going 4 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs. She has 16 hits in the past seven games. Loftus had three runs and four RBIs to go with her two home runs. Fisher scored three runs and Goewey drove in three.

Senior Lena Zahniser, senior Emma Sullivan and freshman Taylor Aldrich each had two hits for the Lava Bears, who had 16 hits. 

Fisher picked up the pitching win, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out nine and walking none.

Hardee went 2 for 2 for McMinnville. 

Second-seeded Bend, which moved to 29-1, will play host to Oregon City in a semifinal game Tuesday.

McMinnville finished its season 24-5.