Eagles win a pair, rekindle state baseball playoff hopes

Hood River entered this week in sixth place in the Northwest Oregon Conference with two league games remaining. The top four teams in the final conference standings automatically qualify for the 2024 Class 5A state playoffs. Two state-wide wild card berths are available to the top ranked teams not already earning automatic berths.

Hood River was scheduled to play at Hillsboro (8-17, 5-10) on May 15, and hosts the Spartans May 17 on senior night at 5 p.m. at Traner Field. 

If Hood River wins its final two games, the Eagles have a chance to tie for fourth place — or finish there outright — in the final NWOC standings.

HRV holds 2-1 series wins — and tiebreaker advantage — over both Centennial and Putnam. Canby has clinched first place in the NWOC, La Salle Prep is second and Wilsonville third.

Hood River’s losing streak reached seven games last week before the Eagles ended it in a big way, pounding 13 hits in a 14-3 win at winless Milwaukie on May 8. HRV broke open a 3-1 game in the top of the fifth inning with an 11-run outburst.`

The Eagles started the week with a 7-1, May 7 home loss to Wilsonville, whose three pitchers limited HRV to two hits — both by Grady Williams.

“That one got away from us early, as we played some undisciplined baseball,” Coach Max Reitz said of the Eagles’ four errors.

Wilsonville led 5-0 after two innings and expanded its margin to seven runs before Hood River scored twice in the sixth.

The Eagle bats finally got going May 8 against Milwaukie. Williams and Hunter Duckwall each had three hits in that contest, and Stuben and Addison Postlewait added two apiece. Duckwall knocked in four runs.

Defensively, Hood River player errorless ball in the field behind starter Maverick Hockett and reliever Willilams, who came on to finish the five-inning game by pitching the final frame. Hockett gave up five walks, but he struck out four and allowed three hits in four innings.

“That was his first varsity start and he really competed well,” Reitz said of his sophomore right-hander. 

“Offensively, it was nice to see the bats finally get going as a team and we helped ourselves by playing errorless ball. I thought we just were more disciplined in how we played the game all around.”

Hood River won its second game of the week on May 10, but it wasn’t easy. Milwaukie led 3-0 after a half inning and 4-2 after four and a half frames before HRV came alive. A seven-run fifth put the game out of reach for the upset-minded Mustangs, who were hurt by five errors.

Williams had two hits and knocked in two runs. He and Postlewait combined on the mound to limit Milwaukie to six hits. Also offensively, Duckwall and Travor Jacobs both had a hit and two RBI. Stuben, Kingston McAdam, and Ethan Rivera had the other hits for HRV.