Mike Eiseland doubled twice and drove in two runs, and Cord Cothren pitched a complete-game eight-hitter to lead the first-year Columbia Gorge Drifters to a critical 6-5 victory over the Columbia River Blue Jays July 17, in the first round of Washington Division IV Junior American Legion South playoffs in Vancouver.
Because the rest of the tournament was rained out, the Drifters and four other teams from the Division IV South advanced automatically to the district tournament, which was scheduled to begin Tuesday at Stan Rister Field in Kelso.
South No. 3 Columbia Gorge's opponent in the first round of district play was North No. 1 Pacific Tech Construction.
On July 17, Eiesland knocked in Danon Kavanagh from second base with two out in the top of the seventh, with what proved to be the winning run.
Kelly Powell led off the Drifters' last frame with a walk, but was forced out at second on Kavanagh's grounder to short. Kavanagh stole second, however, to put himself in scoring position.
After Mike Murphy struck out, Eiesland swung at the first pitch he saw and connected for a two-base hit that sent Kavanagh home.
In the last of the seventh, Cothren gave up consecutive singles to the first two hitters he faced and an earned run before retiring the side on a fielder's choice, a flyout to right and an unassisted put out at second by shortstop Powell.
Of the five runs Cothren allowed (all were earned), four came in the fourth inning. Columbia regained the lead in the fifth, however, on Eiesland's double.
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