MEDFORD, Ore. – A 5-run seventh inning rally forced extra innings in the opener of tonight’s Area 4 doubleheader, but the Medford Mustangs used a pair of walk-off singles to earn a key sweep of the Klamath Falls Falcons at Harry & David Field.
Aiden Horsley finished 7-for-9 on the day – including the game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning in the Mustangs (13-9, 3-1 Area 4) 6-5 win in Game 1 – while Eli Havey was 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI, delivering a walk-off 2-run single in the fifth of a 12-2 victory in the nightcap.
The Falcons (3-13, 2-4) saw their losing streak reach eight games.
Trailing 5-0 heading into their final at bat, Klamath Falls rallied against Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Year, Julius Bolstad. Branden Jones was hit by a pitch and Jaden Backer walked. With two outs, Payton Price legged out an infield single to plate Jones and Mark Carpenter followed with a 2-run triple to cut the deficit to 5-3. Reliever Beau Aldrich served up an RBI single to Tyler Harper and pinch-hitter Connor Shively tied the game with an RBI single to center.
KF had a chance to take the lead in the ninth, putting runners at second-and-third with one out, but Aldrich got a strikeout and ground out to end the threat.
The Mustangs won it in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, with Horsley ending the game with an RBI single to right.
Harper was 4-for-5 in the loss for the Falcons, with Carpenter throwing a season-high 7.2 innings of work.
Havey was the story in Game 2 for Medford, opening the scoring with an RBI double in the first and adding a run-scoring double in a 4-run fourth that broke open a 6-2 game. With runners at second-and-third in the fifth, Havey lined a ball to left to plate both runners to invoke the run-rule.
The Falcons scored single runs in the second and third – as Backer drew a bases-loaded walk to score Price, who had one of two hits in the inning. An inning later, P.J. Safford led off with a double and scored on a Carpenter single.
Klamath has a short turn-around, heading to Weed tomorrow for a 5 p.m. doubleheader against Siskiyou Post 122
Picture courtesy of “Inside the Lines Photography” Liza Safford
