Docs sweep doubleheader, win season series versus Grants Pass
GRANTS PASS — A blowout and a nail-biter.
The Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s had two very different results in a Class AAA American Legion Area 4 doubleheader against the Grants Pass Nuggets on Tuesday at Agnew-Lytle Field at Reinhart Volunteer Park.
Dane St. Clair drove in four runs as the Docs exploded for a 17-1 win in the opener, while Colton Siewell and Evan Corbin combined to pitch an eight-inning shutout in a 1-0 Game 2 victory.
“It’s a good feeling to get two wins down here,” Roseburg coach Eric Savage said. The victories gave the Docs their first season series win against a league opponent.
Roseburg (10-12-1, 4-2 Area 4) had four players with two hits in Game 1. St. Clair led the way, going 2-for-4 with a two-run double in a 10-run fifth inning.
Paxton Burke, Brooks Avery, Daniel Withers, Cal Robbins and Logan Anderson all had two RBIs for the Docs. Roseburg’s offense also benefited from nine walks and two hit batters.
The game ended after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Despite sitting for long stretches while the offense pounded out hits, Jake Johnson was sharp in his fourth start of the season. The right-hander allowed just one run on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts, improving to 4-1 on the season.
The script got flipped in the nightcap as offense came at a premium for the Docs.
Siewell went toe-to-toe with Grants Pass starter Logan Zavolta in a classic pitchers’ duel.
Zavolta befuddled the Docs’ batters over six scoreless innings. He allowed just three hits with five strikeouts, a walk and one hit batter. Roseburg was 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position against Zavolta.
Siewell was able to match Zavolta, allowing only two hits over 6 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and four walks in his first start of the season.
“He’s been working out of the bullpen for us, closing,” Savage said. “He’s a heck of an arm for us and it’s hard to move him into that starting role because of how good he’s been in the pen.”
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision as the game was still scoreless as it was turned over to the bullpens.
Corbin, who’s normally a starter, took over in the seventh and struck out Keller Bloodworth to get out of a bases-loaded jam and force extra innings.
The Docs finally broke through in the eighth inning after reliever Jack Matthew issued a two-out walk to Brevin Harrison. Tyler Haynes followed with a double to the alley in right-center field that brought Harrison around for the 1-0 lead.
Corbin finished the game with three outs on the infield. It was the first win of the season for the four-year Docs veteran.
“Corbin needed that,” Savage said. “He’s had a few tough starts and has been kind of down on himself lately. To get that out of him at the end of the ball game was huge.”
The wins keep Roseburg in step with Eugene (8-2) and Medford (6-0) at the top of the Area 4 standings and gives the Docs the advantage over the Nuggets in case of a tie.
“(Grants Pass is) going to sneak a few games against a few teams in our league and to win three of four against them and know that we have the head-to-head against them is huge,” Savage said. “And what a confidence builder for our guys.”
Roseburg will have the rest of the week off before making a trip to Eugene for a league doubleheader with the Challengers on Monday at Swede Johnson Stadium. The first game begins at 5 p.m.
First Game
Roseburg 200 5(10) — 17 10 0
Grants Pass 000 01 — 1 4 3
Johnson and C. Robbins; L. Morgan, Ireland (5), Nodine (5), Snodgrass (5) and Carnes. W — Johnson (4-1). L — L. Morgan. 2B — St. Clair (R).
Second Game
Roseburg 000 000 01 — 1 4 2
Grants Pass 000 000 00 — 0 2 3
Siewell, Corbin (7) and Hellenthal; Zavolta, Matthew (7), Bloodworth (8) and A. Elzy. W — Corbin (1-3). L — Matthew. 2B — Avery (R), Haynes (R).