Sports

McNary drops two to South Salem

Devon Bedoya delivers to the plate in McNary’s second game against South Salem (KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings).

The McNary baseball team dropped a pair of games to South Salem last week, falling to the Saxons 3-1 on Wednesday, April 17, and losing the following day by a score of 12-6.

Despite being handed the loss, McNary ace David Allen pitched arguably his best game of the season against the fourth-ranked team in the state in the opening contest of the series. The senior right-hander went six innings and gave up just six hits and two earned runs while striking out four. 

South Salem scored in the top of the first on a wild pitch to grab the early lead. But the Celtics responded in the top of the second on an RBI-single by Nigel Harris that scored Ty Covalt from second base, tying the game at 1-1. 

The Saxons picked up a run in the third frame, and another in the fourth on a solo-blast by Elijah Enomoto-Haole. However, Allen was able to end his night with two straight scoreless innings.

McNary, though, gave themselves a chance in the top of the seventh. A walk from Noah Bach and a single by Robert Benson gave the Celtics two on with two out and the go-ahead run at the plate. 

But South Salem pitcher Noah Ferguson fanned Alex Tavera to end the game.

McNary sent Devon Bedoya to the hill in game two the next day, but Bedoya got roughed up in this one as the Saxons jumped out to a 10-0 lead after two innings.

McNary, however, showed some fight later in the game. 

Allen scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth. Then, the Celtics made things interesting in the following frame.

McNary manufactured four runs in the inning on just two hits to cut the lead to 10-5. But McNary didn’t have enough ammo to rally all the way back.

The Celtics are now 7-8 overall and 2-3 in Mountain Valley Conference play. They will host Summit of Friday in a doubleheader that gets underway at 2 p.m.