Photo by Sean Patterson

Sara Cuddeford tries to slap her way on during the Huskies' defeat of Molalla last Tuesday. North Marion won 2-1 with two runs in the first inning.

By Sean Patterson

North Marion ran into the conference's hottest team and one of the region's best pitchers Thursday afternoon in Stayton.

The result was anything but pretty.

Facing fireballer Rachel Hiatt, the Huskies failed to get a hit and managed just three base runners total in a 6-0 loss that dropped the girls to 4-3 in Capital Conference play with half the league season now completed.

North Marion hurler Kelley Carpenter took the loss, but she deserved a better fate: Of the six runs she allowed, only one was earned.

"We struggled in the field with four errors, but you have to give a lot of credit to Stayton - they are a dominating team," North Marion head coach Gary Hunt said of the Eagles, unbeaten in league. "They hit the ball hard and they are aggressive on the base paths. They are an impressive ball team.

I suppose that's why they're ranked fourth or fifth in the state."

Hiatt set the tone by allowing just three Huskies to get on - two on walks and another on an error. "We had contact - we just couldn't put the ball in the holes," Hunt said.

Stayton, meanwhile, wasted no time taking control, scoring three runs in the first inning and two more in the second. The hosts capped the day with a single run in the fifth.

It was the second game in three days for North Marion, which survived a pitcher's duel to edge Molalla 2-1 last Tuesday in Molalla.

The Huskies (9-8) scored their only two runs in the first. After Sarah Camp reached on a hit and moved to second on Kami Christopherson's sacrifice, Celina Willman walked to put runners on first and second.

Amber Wrinkle followed with a bloop base hit just over second base. The Indian right fielder and second baseman collided on the play, and as they tried to gather themselves, both runners crossed the plate.

It was all the offense pitcher Carpenter needed, as she allowed just four hits and three walks in seven innings. She fanned seven on the day, and she fielded a ball right back at her to end the game with the bases loaded.

The 1-1 splits leaves North Marion tied with Sweet Home for third place in the league standings. The Huskies were home for Sisters Tuesday and visit Central Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

A word of caution to the rest of the Pacific-8 Conference: When playing Canby, runs are getting harder and harder to come by.

In other words, you'd better score any way you can.

Both Tigard and Forest Grove learned that lesson the hard way last week, dropping identical 1-0 scores to the Cougars in a pair of key Pac-8 games that could go a long way toward determining playoff seeding.

The front-running Tigers were baffled by right-hander Joanna Barstad's array of pitches on April 17, managing just six hits in a 15-inning marathon at Tigard High School. Barstad hurled the entire game and wound up with 18 strikeouts, finally winning the battle with fellow ace Nicole Webb when Canby's Lisa Ash crossed the plate on a throwing error in the 15th.

As if that weren't enough, Barstad was at it again Wednesday - this time hurling a no-hitter at Forest Grove at CHS.

Remarkably, the senior pitcher has allowed just one earned run in 85 innings this season. Over that span, she has struck out 66 of the 177 batters she's faced.

"She's just doing an outstanding job for us," head coach Greg Herman said of Barstad. "This has really turned into a pitcher's league, with Jo, (Nicole) Webb and others just dominating people. It's gonna get ugly in the end. A lot of games are going to be decided by one run."

Canby, now 6-2 in league, is also winning with defense, committing just eight errors in the eight Pac-8 games so far.

Herman also sees a team that has gelled mentally, with each team member playing for a common goal.

"This is an outstanding bunch of girls," said Herman, who took over the job April 14 following the resignation of Charlie Tropp. "Their attitudes are great and they are all on the same page. (The head job) means a lot of extra work, but it's worth it."

Canby scored Wednesday's only run when, in the fourth inning, Lisa Erwert singled with one out and Shelly Steinke also singled. Lisa Allen moved the runners with a fielder's choice to set the table for Barstad, whose hit scored Erwert.

It was all Barstad needed.

For the game, Canby's hurler allowed just two walks while striking out nine. Steinke led the way offensively by going 2 for 3, and Megan Rock sparked the defense with three assists and four putouts at second base.

Previously, the Cougars handed Tigard its first season loss thanks to strong pitching and an air-tight defense.

The Cougars got one such defensive gem in the 13th when catcher Lyndsay Burke caught a pop-up and fired to center fielder Steinke, covering second base, for a double play.

Ultimately, Canby's winning rally began with a single off the hot bat of Ash, who was 3 for 5 on the day. She moved to second on a fielder's choice by Burke, then came around when Tigard mishandled Kelsey Cutsforth's bunt.

Barstad closed things out by fielding two balls hit back at her and striking out the game's final batter.

Webb was just as impressive for Tigard, retiring 21 Cougar batters and scattering four hits. Three of them were singles by Ash, and the other was a Toni Herman hit in the 11th inning.

"Our team defense has been awsome all season long," coach Herman said. "This game, our girls showed a lot of heart. It was a total team effort. Joanna's pitching, key plays from our middle infielders, Lisa Erwert and Megan Rock, and Burke's double play really kept our momentum going."

The girls visit Newberg on Monday before playing Tualatin at home on Wednesday. They are at McMinnville on April 28 for a 4:30 p.m. game.

In yet another week of close calls, the Canby High School baseball team came within one out of beating the conference's best team before coming out on the short end of a 3-2 score in eight innings.

Visiting league-leading Forest Grove on Wednesday, the Cougars clung to a 2-1 lead with two out and runners on first and second in the last of the seventh.

But a victory wasn't to be.

A single scored the tying run, and Forest Grove went on to win it with a double and game-winning single in the eighth, dropping Canby to 5-3 in Pacific-8 Conference play.

"It was a great ball game - we played well," head coach Marty Hunter said. "We just couldn't quite get it done. We couldn't close it out."

Reliever Mitch Meeuwsen came on in relief to get the win for Forest Grove, which remained unbeaten (8-0) and alone atop the Pac-8 standings. Tualatin, which dropped a 4-0 decision to the Vikings on Monday, stands in second at 7-1, two games up on the Cougars.

Wednesday's loss was the second one-run game in three days for Canby, which scored twice in the last of the sixth to edge out Tigard 5-4 last Monday in Canby.

Looking ahead, the Cougars are scheduled to host Newberg on Monday before paying a visit to Tualatin on Wednesday. The team wraps up the week with a home date against McMinnville on April 28.

Canby played the state's third-ranked team close Wednesday, giving the team reason to believe it can contend for a postseason berth and go somewhere once the Class 4A playoffs begin.

"We played well this week, and we put ourselves in position to beat (the Vikings)," Hunter said. "We just couldn't touch (Meeuwsen). He shut us down."

The Cougars did get a runner aboard in the eighth. With two out, Josh Cushing singled and stole second, but he was left stranded there - one of seven runners the Cougars left on base in the game.

Canby got on the board in the first when Jake Norquist singled and moved to second on a sacrifice. He then came around when the Vikings made an errant throw trying to get him at third on a Ross Crooks grounder.

After Forest Grove tied it in the fourth, Canby regained the lead when Brett Fuge launched a home run to left center in the sixth.

Fuge also had a good day on the mound, keeping the Vikings in check for four-plus innings. Cushing came in to relieve and wound up as the pitcher of record.

Against Tigard, the Cougars rallied late to win their fourth game in a row. Down 4-3 in the sixth, Canby's Nate Dawson walked and stole second. Jess Driggers followed with an RBI double, and after Drew Bayless reached on a bunt, Dustin Peregrin blooped a single to right to score pinch-runner Marco Zamora.

Fuge then shut the Tigers down in the seventh to get the win.

By Sean Patterson

With two wins in three matches last week, the Canby High School boys tennis team continued to show the rest of the Pacific-8 Conference that the Cougars are a group to be reckoned with.

Defeats of Newberg and Dallas, coupled with a Thursday loss to Tigard, lifted Canby to 6-3 in league play with just two weeks left in the regular season.

Canby managed to get by the Tigers on set criteria Tuesday, winning the sets battle 11-8 after the teams tied 4-4. It was a more decisive victory over the Dragons on Monday, as CHS won three of four singles matches en route to a 5-3 win.

"We're playing well, even in many of the matches that we aren't winning," head coach Myra Brown said. "(For instance), I was very pleased with how Matt (Snyder) played against his Dallas opponent, an exchange student from Germany. We've heard he's ranked in his country, and Matt took him to three sets.

''We've also seen improved play from the doubles team of Sabastian Sundorf and Tien Tran, who are moving up the ladder.''

In fact, Sundorf and Tran won all three of their matches last week, and they won every one of them in straight sets.

Also enjoying a perfect week was No. 3 singles player Colin Millison, who rolled 6-3, 6-2 against Dallas, 6-1, 7-5 over his Newberg foe and 6-1, 0-6, 6-3 in the Tigard match.

Also winning against Tigard was the pair of Bobby Brown and Brian Stuhr, 6-1, 6-1 winners at the No. 2 spot.

Unfortunately, the Tigers won the remainder of the matches in claiming a 5-3 win on a clear, sunny day at CHS.

In the Newberg match, Canby split in both singles and doubles but went the three-set maximum in three losses, giving the team the edge in sets. Winners included Josh Stinson at fourth singles (6-2, 6-4) and the doubles team of Ryan Kelsch and Lucas Howard (6-3, 6-1).

Finally, the Cougars managed to hold off Dallas on Monday, thanks to singles wins from Matt Lundeen (6-3, 6-2), Millison (6-3, 6-2) and Stinson (6-0, 6-0).

Winning in doubles that afternoon were Nate Krytenberg and Alex Evans at No. 3 (6-1, 6-4) and Sundorf and Tran at No. 4 (6-2, 6-2).

Canby is scheduled for three more matches this week, playing Tualatin Monday, Forest Grove at home on Wednesday and Silverton at CHS this Friday. All matches begin at 4 p.m.

CANBY GIRLS: A shorthanded Canby team struggled in a pair of matches but still managed to salvage one victory in three contests. Taking on Newberg last Tuesday, the girls rolled 6-2 behind a sweep in singles. Wendy Watson (6-1, 6-3), Rachel Greiner (6-0, 6-0), Kerry Vaught (6-1, 6-2) and Alex Gex (6-3, 0-6, 6-4) were all victorious. Topping off the win were the doubles teams of Nicole Lundgren and Whitney Rotrock (6-0, 6-0) and Mikki Hipp and Amanda Weygandt (6-4, 6-3) at No. 3 and 4, respectively. The Cougars weren't as fortunate against Dallas last Monday, although part of that could be attributed to the fact Canby was without three varsity regulars. Only Tori Beck and Justine Rhodes, playing at fourth doubles, and singles player Greiner managed victories. Beck and Rhodes prevailed 6-3, 6-4 while Greiner survived two close sets to win 7-6, 7-6 at No. 2. Also competing well that day was Watson, who went the distance at No. 1 before losing 7-5, 4-6, 4-6. Most recently, Canby dropped the same 2-6 score against Tigard, as only Beck/Rhodes (6-0, 6-2) and Hipp/Weygandt (6-2, 6-3) came out on top.

"Not having our full lineup made for a tough week, but I was very pleased with how our younger players stepped up," head coach Mike Vaught said. "All three of the girls who won Thursday were freshmen, and all our Dallas wins came from freshmen. That's an encouraging sign for the future."

Canby stands at 5-4 in league matches heading into a three-match test this week. The girls took on Tualatin Monday and are at Forest Grove Wednesday and Silverton this Friday.