The Dufur/South Wasco County High Rangers have everything going for them with a healthy team and some momentum to take them on what they’re hoping is a 10-day run in the OSAA Class 2A/1A baseball state playoffs.
Dufur, guided by Coach CS Little, will play either 13th-ranked Reedsport (13-8) or 27th-ranked East Linn Christian (11-14) in a second-round, state playoff game tentatively scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Dufur High School. The first-round games in the 22-team playoffs were Monday (result was after the printed edition deadline). Dufur had a first-round bye.
Wednesday winners advance to the May 27 quarterfinals. The semifinals are May 31, and the final is June 3 at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer.
The Rangers are the No. 2-ranked defensive team out of 59 Class 2A/1A squads, allowing an average of 1.91 runs per game. The No. 2-ranked Kennedy High Trojans are ranked No. 1 defensively, allowing an average of 1.46 runs per game.
The No. 4-ranked Rangers (15-1 Special District 7, 22-2 overall) won a non-league tune-up game, 4-3, over the No. 6-ranked St. Paul Buckaroos (17-6) on May 18 at Quinton Street Ballpark in The Dalles. “It was a close game against a good team that we could possibly meet in the playoffs,” said Little. “We wanted to see some decent pitching and we did, and we faced a lefty, which was good, too. We had some decent hitting and we played pretty good defense. Senior Brock LaFaver (relief pitcher) came in after we took Isaac Anthony (starting pitcher) out and he put the hammer down and he did a good job of coming in and shutting the door at the end.”
Anthony (1-for-3) hit a two-run, first-inning homer to help propel the Rangers to the win. Anthony also had 13 strikeouts while pitching the first six innings.
“They (Buckaroos) are a really good team, and it was a great game,” said Anthony, who leads Class 2A/1A with 10 home runs; he has team-high 43 RBI. LaFaver (2-for-3) also contributed offensively with two RBI singles. LaFaver and Anthony combined on a three-hitter versus the Buckaroos, the second-place team from Special District 1.
“It’s been a good season for sure and I think we can go all the way, which would be awesome,” said LaFaver, who has one home run and is the Rangers’ second leading hitter with 29 RBI. “Knowing that we can beat one of their top teams could mean that maybe the other teams over there are a little weaker. Everyone’s healthy now, so we just have to stick together, hit the ball and pitch well and we’ll be fine.”
Huskies, Lyle drop final games
The Sherman/Arlington/Condon/Wheeler High Huskies (6-10 SD7, 8-11) concluded their season losing a home doubleheader, 17-3 and 9-2, to the No. 5-ranked Weston-McEwen High TigerScots (14-2 SD7, 18-3) May 18 in Moro. The Huskies finished in sixth place in the nine-team league.The Lyle/Wishram/Klickitat/Trout Lake High Cougars (1-16) concluded their season losing on the road to the No. 18-ranked Grant Union/Prairie City High Prospectors (10-6 SD7, 15-10) May 17 in John Day. The Cougars ended the season with a last-place league finish.
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