Story by Mike Safford Jr.
CENTRAL POINT – Central Point wrapped up the Oregon American Legion Area 4 South regular-season title, sweeping a highly contested doubleheader with the Klamath Falls Falcons, claiming the opener, 7-6, in 11 innings, before winning the nightcap, 6-2, at Anhorn Field.
The Comets (33-1, 19-1) claimed the automatic bid to the Single-A Legion State Tournament with the title, however, the Falcons season will not be over. The Area 4 North runner-up surrendered their bid due to a lack of players, while the third-place team in Area 3 was unable to fill a roster to play a potential play-in game with Klamath – with the dominos falling perfectly for the 30-8-1 club to earn a bid.
The opener was an 3-hour marathon, with the Falcons rallying from a 3-0 deficit – getting RBI singles from Conner Shively and Kollin Tacchini in the third and a Max Price RBI single in the fourth – tying the score. Alex Johnson gave the hosts a 4-3 lead in the fifth with a long solo blast, but Klamath regained the lead in the sixth on a Carson Siems run scoring single and a Ryan Douglas RBI double.
CP tied the score at 6-6 in the seventh on a Mason Snopl RBI triple and a Morgan Austin sacrifice fly, but reliever P.J. Safford coaxed an inning ending double play ball to force extras.
Neither team put a runner into scoring position until the 11th, when consecutive singles started the frame for the Comets and Snopl ended the game with a single to center.
Johnson had three hits to pace the Comets, with Morgan Austin tossing five shutout innings for the win. KF lost despite 16 hits – as all nine batters in the order had a hit – led by 3-hit games from Price and Corbin Hamilton.
The nightcap saw the Comets erase a 2-1 KF lead, as Andy Sweet lined an RBI single in the fourth to tie the game, with the Comets scoring three times in the fifth – keyed by a 2-run single from Snopl – to take the lead for good.
Sweet fanned five in five innings of work for the win, while Jacoby Tacchini was 2-for-3 in the loss.
STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday (Eagle Point HS)
11:00 G1 – Redmond Sun West Builders (4-17) vs. Eugene Ole Athletics (21-6)
2:00 G2 – Klamath Falls Falcons (30-8-1) vs. West Albany Bulldogs (13-9)
5:00 G3 – Tigard Portland Street Mechanics (18-20) vs. Central Point Comets (33-1)
8:00 G4 – Columbia Gorge Hustlers (25-12) vs. North Jackson Royals (10-10)
Thursday
11:00 G5 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 3
2:00 G6 – Loser 2 vs. Loser 4
5:00 G7 – Winner 1 vs. Winner 2
8:00 G8 – Winner 3 vs. Winner 4
Friday
2:00 G9 – Winner 6 vs. Loser 7
5:00 G10 – Winner 5 vs. Loser 8
8:00 G11 – Winner 7 vs. Winner 8
Saturday/Sunday schedule TBA (5 / 8 p.m. on Saturday, 1 p.m. on Sunday)
