By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
CORVALLIS, Ore.– The Corvallis Marketmen got the best of the Post 58 Crushers of Stayton on Monday night in Area-3 League action at Corvallis High School. Taking an absolute pitcher’s duel of a game 1-0 that handed the Crushers their first league defeat of the year and kept the Corvallis squad undefeated four games into the league schedule.
“It’s just all about staying consistent, especially in those later innings when you start to get a little bit tired. It’s about throwing those first pitch strikes and staying efficient. Just staying efficient and filling up the zone,” said the Marketmen’s Josh Riddle.
The Santiam Christian-grad in Riddle and Silverton’s Ryne Hockman, who got the start for the Crushers in this one, combined to only allow five total hits to be compiled and striking out a combined ten batters as the duo went the distance for their respective squads.
Riddle allowed three hits and struck out seven in his complete game effort. Hockman struck out three but only allowed two hits in this one.
The difference came in the bottom half of the second inning, where the Marketmen drew two walks and drove in the lone run of the game off a Mason Stearns single. It scored Gavin Price from second base, and it turned out to be the lone run in the quick contest.
“I trust my guys with my life, we have to be a team and I think that’s going to be a big part of what we’re going to be as a team this year…We’ve struggled the last couple of games, but I feel like we figured it out today. We played well,” said Hockman. “We struggled to hit the ball there at the end, and it cost us.”
The Post 58 Crushers head to Eugene on Wednesday to take part in the annual Fourth of July tournament down there through the weekend.
For the Marketmen, coming off a tough start to the season with playing the Barbers and the Eugene Challengers, they’re hoping that this is the time that they’ll start piecing it together for what they’re hoping to be a strong finish to the season.
Monday’s game will start a busy week for Corvallis that will see them play their three-game series with the Post 20 Dirtbags Tuesday and Wednesday before hosting their annual Fourth of July Tournament starting on Thursday.
“Playing the teams like the Barbers and Eugene just gets us ready for games like this. Just toughing it out, they’re great opponents…seeing that competition early to see where we want to go later in the season,” said Riddle.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
