Taft High scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning Saturday to overcome a one-run deficit and defeat the host Buffalos 15-12 in the Madras Baseball Tournament.
“We found a way to win the game,” Taft Coach Matt Higers said. “It was good to see us battle back and come out on top. Hopefully, we can carry this momentum into next week.”
Caleb King collected four hits and Josh Salsbery and Tyee Fisher three each to pace a 17-hit attack for the Tigers, who scored 11 runs in the first three innings, before falling behind 12-11 following a nine-run fourth by Madras.
“We had a bit of a mental lapse through the middle innings and let our lead get away,” Hilgers said.
Class 3A Taft (8-2, 1-0 West Valley) finished with back-to-back wins in the three-day tournament after dropping Thursday’s opener 18-9 to Class 4A Crook County. The Tigers defeated 4A Tillamook 8-2 on Friday.
Kam Kessler drove in three runs for the Tigers, while Eli DeMello, Fisher and King knocked in two each.
Senior leadoff hitter Salsbery scored four times for Taft, while Cody Knott, DeMello and King scored twice each. Kessler, Fisher and King all doubled for Taft.
Salsbery got the win over the 4A White Buffalos (4-3) in 3 1/3 innings of relief of starter Bleiz Kimbrough and Caleb Jones.
The Tigers return to action at home Tuesday, April 3, in a West Valley League game against Horizon Christian-Tualatin (5-2, 0-0).
Taft 15, Madras 12
TAFT AB R H BI
Josh Salsbery 5 4 3 1
Eli DeMello 5 2 1 2
Caleb King 5 2 4 2
Jack Stempel 4 1 1 0
Cody Knott 4 2 1 1
Kam Kessler 4 1 1 3
Tyee Fisher 5 1 3 2
Bleiz Kimbrough 3 0 1 1
Caleb Jones 1 1 1 0
Trenton Fisher 4 1 1 0
TOTALS 40 15 17 12
MADRAS AB R H BI
Tyler Lockey 5 1 2 2
Jordan Mitchell 5 1 1 0
Kody Zemke 5 1 2 4
Cameron Rodriguez 5 1 1 0
White 4 2 3 1
Jarred Holliday 2 1 0 0
Collon 3 1 1 2
Mitchell 1 2 0 1
Nathan Stout 2 2 1 2
TOTALS 32 12 11 12
TAFT 461 000 4 — 15
MADRAS 111 900 0 — 12
LOB–TAFT 7, MADRAS 8. ERR–Tyler Lockey (3), Kody Zemke (3). 2B–Caleb King, Tyee Fisher, Kam Kessler, White, Collon, Nathan Stout, Tyler Lockey. 3B—Josh Salsbery (2). HBP–Cody Knott, Mitchell. SB–Josh Salsbery, Eli DeMello.
TAFT IP H R ER BB SO HR
Bleiz Kimbrough 3.00 5 5 5 4 4 0
Caleb Jones 0.67 4 7 7 2 2 0
Josh Salsbery (W) 3.33 2 0 0 2 2 0
MADRAS
Kody Zemke 2.33 9 11 3 1 1 0
Tyler Lockey (L) 4.67 8 4 4 1 4 0
PB–Kam Kessler (3),Nathan Stout, Kody Zemke 2). BB–Kam Kessler, Jack Stempel, Mitchell (2), White, Collon, Nathan Stout (2), Jarred
Holliday (2).
Taft roster/schedule
Madras roster/ schedule
Class 3A West Valley League standings
Class 3A OSAA rankings
