3A Softball: Pirates, Tigers advance to quarterfinals

Bradfield calls game, walks it off for YC

The No. 3-seeded Yamhill Carlton Tigers met a formidable foe in No. 14 Valley Catholic on Wednesday during the second round of the 3A Softball State Championship tournament.

YC jumped ahead 1-0 in their first turn at the plate as senior Addison Tuning drove in Ella Amerson with an RBI single.

Two more were posted to the board in the second inning as Emerson tripled to score Peyton Gregor, who had reached on a walk. Amerson then scored on a passed ball for a 3-0 lead.

Following singles from Tuning and Taylor Bradfield in the bottom of the third, the Tigers went up 4-0 as sacrifice flies and more passed balls saw YC plate another.

Bradfield started in the pitcher’s circle for YC and shut down the Valiants until the third inning, where a duo of leadoff walks came around to make the score 4-2. Bradfield worked a quick fifth inning but surrendered more free passes and a double in the sixth to load the bases.

The Valiants took advantage, with freshman Olivia Gobel hitting a grand slam to right-center field for a 6-4 lead.

Amerson was the Tigers’ hottest hitter, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs. She was also YC’s savior down two runs. Kaylee Spaulding and Harper Camillo retorted to Valley Catholic’s attack with hits in the bottom of the sixth. The Valiants recorded a second out, but Amerson was able to tie the game at 6-6 with a double on the ground to right field.

Josie Barker pitched a one-two-three seventh inning for YC, allowing Bradfield to breathe before she stepped to the plate in the bottom half.

With one out, the power bat of Bradfield worked a 3-0 count on a tiring arm. Valley Catholic’s Allison Jacobs had done all she could, striking out seven Tigers and allowing just four earned runs, but her 107th and final pitch was too juicy for Bradfield to resist.

Hanging over the middle of the plate, Bradfield pulled the ball to left field. It soared over the shrubs of the Tigers’ home field and provided YC with a 7-6 walk-off victory.

In the circle, Bradfield struck out 12 while walking six and allowing six runs and three hits.

The Tigers are set to host No. 6 Scio in Yamhill on Friday at 5 p.m.

YC beat their Special District 3 foe twice during the regular season; 7-5 in Yamhill on April 3 and 6-2 at Scio on April 28.

Pirates cruise past Warriors

Dayton’s No. 4-seeded Pirates made easy work of No. 13 Warrenton on Wednesday, defeating the Warriors 11-2.

Fans packed around the Dayton High School softball field as seven four-hit, eight-strikeout innings from junior Charley Upmeyer paved the way for the Pirates’ offense.

A solo shot to left field off the bat of junior Sophie Sweeney opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. A Bella Lopez single soon after scored Hayden Bell as Dayton salvaged a second run after running into an out on the base paths.

Dayton tallied one more run in each of the third and fourth innings in the lead-up to a six-run fifth in response to Warrenton’s attempt to come back.

Upmeyer began the barrage with a two-run blast to left field. Singles from Sweeney and Emmy Riley followed to grow the Pirates’ lead to 7-2. Each of the next three Pirate runs came on doubles from Bell, Lopez and Rachel Baumholtz.

Riley capped the scoring with an RBI single in the sixth inning.

Sweeney was Dayton’s most consistent bat, going 3-for-3 with a trio of runs scored, a walk and an RBI. In the nine-hole, Lopez also reached four times, going 3-for-3 with a walk, three RBIs and a run scored. Baumholtz and Riley each went 2-for-3 and drove in a run.

Upmeyer added two RBIs on her home run to go along with a strong outing.

The Pirates out-hit Warrenton 12-4.

Dayton will host No. 5 Banks on Friday at 5 p.m.

The two teams last met at Hillsboro Stadium on March 18, with Dayton taking a 10-7 victory. It was the second game of the season for each squad.