Local teams win heavyweight fights on the diamond

Monday was a golden day on the diamond for local teams and their fans. Warrenton High School baseball and Astoria High School softball had heavyweight battles, while the second round of the Clatsop Clash took place in Seaside.

McGrorty brothers carry Warrenton over the finish line

Though Monday’s game against Valley Catholic wasn’t an official playoff game, the atmosphere and intensity during the game sure felt like it.

Warrenton came into the game needing just two more wins to wrap up the league title. The Valiants were the latest team standing in the way of the Warriors quest for glory. Once again, Warrenton had Talon McGrorty on the mound, who was looking to put together an encore performance after no-hitting the Valiants in their first matchup.

Though he gave up three hits in this one, he was just as good as his no-hitter. McGrorty went 8 innings, struck out 8 batters and was the winning pitcher. He pitched his way out of a couple of jams as Valley Catholic were scrappy after falling behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first. He pitched his way out of a bases loaded one out jam in the sixth and brought out his best stuff to get out of the seventh and eighth innings with the game tied at two.

A moonshot home run in the bottom of the eighth inning by his brother, Tyson McGrorty, sent the Warriors home happy with the 3-2 victory and one game away from a league title.

Astoria softball wins season series against St. Helens

A few miles up the road at CMH Field, the third and final installment of Astoria and St. Helens softball played out.

The previous two games were decided by one run and it was only right that Monday’s game was also decided by the same margin. St. Helens would have clinched the Cowapa League title with a win, and Astoria was looking to keep their chances of a title alive. Just like the first matchup, it was Maddie Wilkin, for Astoria, and Ava Eib, for St. Helens.

Wilkin has been dealing with a hip injury for most of the season, but was back on the mound Monday and delivered another great performance. Wilkin gave up just one unearned run in her seven innings of work and was the winning pitcher as the Fishermen once again walked it off in the bottom of the seventh inning against Eib to win 2-1.

With the victory, Astoria pulls even with Scappoose in the Cowapa League at 6-2. Scappoose and Astoria play two more times to close the season and those games will determine the league champion.

Astoria baseball beats rival

Seaside also hosted a big game, the Clatsop Clash part two. Although game one was close with Astoria winning 4-1, Monday’s game was not as the Fishermen put the hurt on their rivals with a 15-5 thrashing.

The game was competitive in the early part. Astoria opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the second only to see Seaside respond with four in the third. A 4-3 lead was the last one the Seagulls would have as the Fishermen scored multiple runs from the fourth through the seventh to win by 10.

Astoria had 13 hits and 11 walks on the day. Garrett Hillard and Teague Palmberg had three runs batted in each, Merrick Benesch started on the mound and had two RBI’s, and Jacob Klepp walked four times.

For Seaside, the top of the lineup was very productive. Jake White and Hayden Halsen had two hits, and Tallen Kraushaar had three hits, but they were not able to slow down Astoria’s bats.

The victory means Astoria will win the season series after Seaside took it last year.

Warrenton softball comes up short in thrilling game

There must have been something in the air Monday. Warrenton and Clatskanie High School played a thrilling, 11-inning game that saw the Tigers come out on top 12-8.

The Warriors were trying to get a win on Senior Day for their four seniors and came up just short. Emma Smith capped off her last game at Warrenton with a four RBI afternoon, senior Anjolena Wakefield had two hits, while senior Jaz Short had one RBI.