KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Longtime Oregon American Legion Baseball Area 4 rivals Klamath Falls and Medford split a pair of lopsided games at Kiger Stadium.
The Falcons (3-6, 2-2 Area 4) rode the bat and arm of Mark Carpenter to an 11-5 victory in the opener, while the Mustangs Owen Thompson tossed a 2-hit shutout in a 15-0 decision in the nightcap.
Klamath spotted Medford (10-5, 1-1) a 1-0 lead in Game 1, before breaking the game open with a 6-run third. Carpenter tied the score with an RBI double – part of a 4-hit game – while Owen Harper gave the hosts the lead with a run-scoring single. Kollin Tacchini and Aiden Hayes each added 2-run doubles to cap the frame.
Harper added a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 11-2 – more than enough support for Carpenter, who fanned eight batters in 6 2/3 innings of work.
Hayes was 3-for-5 with two RBI and Harper finished 3-for-4 with four RBI in the win.
Medford broke open a scoreless game in the third, as Aiden Horsley got the Mustangs on the board with a 2-run single, followed by a 2-run double from Jeremiah Robbins. The guests would bat around for nine fourth inning runs – taking advantage of three Falcon errors – with Tristan Mallari doubling home two and Easton Curtis adding a 2-run single.
Thompson, the Cascade Christian standout, took a no-hitter into the fourth, before Carpenter lined a seeing-eye single. The right-hander fanned eight in the victory – benefitting from an 11-hit attack.
Both teams head to Medford to compete in the Coach K Classic at Lithia and Driveway Fields – with the Falcons opening play on Thursday at 1 p.m. vs. the Petaluma Leghorns.
G1: Klamath Falls (AAA) 11, Medford (AAA) 5 (06/20/23 at Klamath Falls, OR)
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Medford (AAA)....... 100 010 3 - 5 6 3 (9-5, 0-1)
Klamath Falls (AAA). 006 140 X - 11 14 4 (3-5, 2-1)
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Pitchers: Medford (AAA) - RHODEN, Evan; ALDRICH, Beau(3) and ROBBINS, Jeremiah. Klamath Falls (AAA) - CARPENTER, Mark; PYLE, Beau(7) and SHIVELY, Connor.
Win-CARPENTER, Mark(1-0) Loss-RHODEN, Evan(1-1) T-1:58 A-80
G2: Medford (AAA) 15, Klamath Falls (AAA) 0 (06/20/23 at Klamath Falls, OR)
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Medford (AAA)……. 004 92 – 15 11 0 (10-5, 1-1)
Klamath Falls (AAA). 000 00 – 0 2 4 (3-6, 2-2)
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Pitchers: Medford (AAA) – THOMPSON, Owen and ROBBINS, Jeremiah. Klamath Falls (AAA) – HARPER, Tyler; FRANK, Lane(4) and SHIVELY, Connor; SAFFORD, P.J..
Win-THOMPSON, Owen(3-0) Loss-HARPER, Tyler(0-2) T-1:36 A-80
Photo courtesy of Liza Safford