Beaver Bats Deliver 21 Hits, Rout Newberg in 5

The Beavers played their first game at Montag Stadium since March 20th, and responded to the home cookin' by pounding out 21 hits in only 5 innings Tuesday, beating overmatched Newberg
17 - 7. With the exception of a shaky 4th inning, the Beaver defense and pitching performed well, limiting Newberg to just 5 hits.

Megen Ickler (3-1) got the start in the circle for the Beavers and allowed 2 hits in the top of the first, including a bunt single to the second batter she faced. After a called third strike for the second out, the Tigers' clean-up hitter stroked a single to left field, giving Newberg runners on first and third. Ickler struck out the next batter to end the threat.

The Beavers started rolling on offense from their opening at bat. Hannah Johnson led off with a walk and was followed by Ruby LaFollette's single to right. That brought Willow Martinson to the plate and she crushed an 0 - 2 pitch to deep left field for a 3-run homer. Leading 3 - 0 with no outs, the next batter grounded out to third, but the Newberg pitcher hit Ickler in the foot and gave up a single to Gracie Coburn. Megan John laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Victoria Sanchez (pinch running for Ickler) to third and Coburn to second. Maddie Evans then delivered a first-pitch single to right center, scoring Sanchez. A single to shallow centerfield by Natsuki Horakawa led to Evans being forced at second, ending the inning with the Beavers up 4 - 0.

In the 2nd, Ickler allowed a lead-off single, but then got a strikeout and two harmless ground balls to short and second to shut Newberg down. Having batted through the order in the first, the Beavers were ready for more. Hannah Johnson - who came to the plate a remarkable 5 times in the game - led off again, this time reaching base on a throwing error by the Newberg third baseman. After a flyout to center, Martinson lazered a single, giving the Beavers two on with one out. Kayla Lauro was up next, and she delivered a ball to straightaway centerfield that probably needed binoculars to see the fence as it sailed over. The 3-run shot pushed Beaverton's lead to 7 - 0, and prompted a pitching change for Newberg. Right back at it, Ickler singled and after a pop-out to second base, John doubled, scoring Tyler (running for Ickler). Evans was next, singling again and notching another RBI as John scooted for home. Horakowa continued the hit parade to left center for a double, plating Evans. With official scorer Chris Johnson's hand beginning to cramp up, Hannah Johnson reached for the second time in the inning with a single. LaFollette walked to load the bases, but a pop-up to shortstop ended the incredible Beaver inning with the team enjoying an 11 - 0 lead.

Newberg got on the board in the top of the third. A leadoff single was followed by a fly out to second, and the third Tiger batter then knocked a double off a diving John's glove in right center for the RBI. Ickler again got routine grounders to short and third to end the inning. The Beavers could manage only one run in their half of the inning. Two quick outs were followed by Coburn reaching on an error and singles by John and Evans. The bases were loaded for Horakawa who walked on four straight pitches from Newberg's third pitcher of the game, scoring Coburn. A foul pop-up to first stranded three more Beaver runners.

In the fourth, with Tyler on in relief of Ickler and the Beavers leading 11 - 1, spectators might have been forgiven had they felt transported back in time to the Tigard game. Things appeared fine for a moment as Tyler gave up a walk, then got an easy fly ball to John in centerfield. This was followed, however, by another walk, a single which scored a run, and then 3 straight errors on routine ground balls and in ill-advised efforts to fool runners on third with fake throw-downs to second base. The Tigers ended up scoring 6 unearned runs in the frame on just one hit before Tyler restored order and got groundouts to second and first.

Luckily the Beavers had an advantage they lacked at Tigard - a big lead. Up 11 - 7, the Beavers tacked on another run in the bottom of the 4th. LaFollette led off the inning with a triple down the right field line, and came home when the relay was thrown over the pitcher's head and up against the Beaver's dugout. Martinson was up next and blasted a double to left, but the next two Beaver batters grounded out to third and short, only moving her to third. Sanchez, on for Coburn, drew a walk, but with runners at first and third, the next hitter popped up to first ending the Beaver inning with the score 12 - 7.

Up against it, Newberg started the 5th with two quick groundouts to second and third on 4 pitches. After a walk and a single, the Tiger's lead-off hitter grounded into a force play at third for Horakawa.

High school "mercy" rules allow for a stoppage of the game if a team is leading by 10 or more runs after 5 innings and the Beavers came to bat needing five more runs to call it an early evening. After a strikeout, Horakawa singled and Johnson walked. After another strikeout, Martinson came to the plate and stroked her second double and third extra-base hit, scoring Horakawa. Lauro singled scoring Johnson, Tyler drew a walk and Sanchez singled to score Martinson and Lauro. Now with two outs, the Beavers needed just one more run, and John delivered again, singling to score Tyler from second. Tyler collided with the Newberg catcher - who was blocking home plate without the ball - and had to crawl the last couple of feet to touch the base. She appeared to have a slight knee sprain, but medical reports were pending at press time.

The Beavers turned in some incredible hitting performances against Newberg. Martinson went 3 - 4 with 4 runs batted in, Lauro also had 4 RBI, John was 3 - 4 with 2 RBI, Evans was 3 - 4 with 2 RBI and Horakawa was 3 - 3 with 2 RBI and a walk. Up next on Thursday are the Canby Cougars, a team that will provide a much stiffer challenge.