KLAMATH FALLS, Ore – The Henley Hornets (25-1; 16-0) collected a doubleheader sweep of the Hidden Valley Mustangs (18-8; 12-4) on Saturday to win the Skyline Conference for the second consecutive season. Here is how each game played out.
GAME 1: HENLEY 4, HIDDEN VALLEY 2
Ty Burden kicked things off for the Mustangs in the first inning with a two-out RBI to put Hidden Valley up a run in the early going.
Henley responded with a run in the bottom of the first, then took the lead in the second inning when Connor Shively and Luke Austin knocked in a pair of runs.
The Hornets held onto the lead behind stellar pitching from Beau Pyle. He pitched 6.2 innings allowing six hits and two earned runs. Pyle also struck out eight batters. Corbin Hamilton recorded the final out of the game. Ethan Carlile picked up the loss for the Mustangs. He worked 4.1 innings allowing six hits, four runs, walked four, and struck out four.
Offensively for Henley, Shively, Austin, Mark Carpenter, and Max Price had one RBI each. Carpenter was the only Hornet with multiple hits, going 2-3. Ty Burden knocked in the only RBI for the Hidden Valley. Two Mustangs got multiple hits with Jack Matthew and Mauricio Mendez each finishing 2-3.
GAME 2: HENLEY 3, HIDDEN VALLEY 0
The nightcap was a pitcher’s dual that Mark Carpenter controlled on both ends of the ball.
Carpenter slapped an RBI double to center field to score Aiden Hayes for the first run of the ballgame. Later, Carpenter belted a two run homerun to left, again scoring Hayes. It was the league leading eighth homer for Carpenter to go along with his 44th RBI on the year, which also paces the Skyline Conference.
The Hornets also gave Carpenter the start on the mound. He pitched a complete game shutout only allowing four hits and striking out nine batters. The Mustangs threw Jack Matthew who also pitched the full game. Matthew pitched 6.0 innings allowing four hits, three runs, and struck out five.
SKYLINE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
The Hornets are champions again in 2024. Henley earned back to back crowns by turning in consecutive undefeated seasons in league play. This is also the fourth league title in the last six seasons for Henley. With this conference championship the Hornets have secured a spot in the 16-team OSAA playoff bracket. Hidden Valley is the other Skyline team that earned an automatic bid to the playoffs. Klamath Union finished third in the league and must ‘play in’ to the bracket.
The first round of the OSAA playoffs is May 21st with the State Championship to be played June 1st in Salem at Volcano Stadium in Keizer.
