By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
TURNER, Ore.– In a four-year span, the Crosshill Christian Baseball team went from a first-year program with nine players to winning their first-ever Regular Season District Title.
And it came down to their series finale against Monroe/Alsea to make it happen on Friday afternoon.
The Eagles took Game 1 of the series back on Tuesday before falling in Game 2 of the series on Friday, the first game of the league doubleheader. But Crosshill came into the decisive third game locked in.
Regis and the Dragons were right behind them in the League Standings, so the pressure was on. But the Eagles rose to that occasion as they went toe-to-toe with one of the juggernauts of the 2A/1A classification in Monroe.
It was a 3-3 ballgame going into the bottom half of the sixth inning.
“I’m just proud of these boys for bouncing back because it was a tough first game loss. We almost came back in the second game and got it. But I’m really proud of the team, we know that Monroe is a good program and we have a lot of respect for them,” said Crosshill Christian Head Coach Benjamin Northrop.
Then. A break.
Miles Lute got on base to start the bottom half of the sixth with Jonah Phillips coming up to the plate. Phillips went ten pitches deep into his At-Bat before making contact, sending the ball over the fence to give the Eagles a 5-3 lead.
Phillips, who came into relief during the top half of the inning, came in clutch then and was clutch when they went back to play defense four batters after his Home Run. Phillips and Crosshill turned a quick 3-up, 3-down inning to close out the victory and clinched their first-ever regular season title in program History.
“It’s pretty cool, we’ve only been around for a few years and we got a great group of guys and friends,” Phillips said of the accomplishment. “We’re going to keep working hard in the cages and continue to do well.”
“The boys have been working for it for a long time. We started off with nine kids and never played baseball before, and then we got a Junior High team going and the program has built up over the last four years, it’s been pretty incredible. I’m so proud of these boys,” adds Northrop.
Crosshill Christian will get a bye on Tuesday’s round of league playoff games as they await to see who they’ll play for the league Championship Game on Thursday at home.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
