Local Sports Journal

The Sailors’ Jonah Shafer banged out the game-winning single in the 13th inning Saturday, giving the Sailors a dramatic 3-2 victory over Oakridge in a marathon non-league baseball contest.

Mona Shores coach William Lent was elated with his second-straight Saturday afternoon dramatic win.

“The special thing that happened was one of my two seniors, Jonah Shafer, had a career day,” said Lent. “He picked up four hits, including the game winner in the bottom of the 13th. Last Saturday my other senior, Julian Loera, hit a walk off winner in the county championship game and now Jonah was the hero today. I guess we need to play more Saturday games!”

Shafer picked up singles in the third, fourth, seventh and final inning.

Tyler Trovinger pitched the win for Mona Shores, throwing three-and-two-thirds innings of relief with three strikeouts and three walks.

Sailor sophomore Eric Nelson, in his varsity debut, allowed no earned runs on four hits and struck out eight.

Nelson issued just one walk in his first start.

“He is a sophomore that I pulled up off the JV to help us through a stretch of six games in four days,” said Lent of Nelson. “And he threw an absolute gem. He threw a lot of strikes, and at this level that will help win a lot of baseball games. He threw one of the top three  pitching performances we have had this year on the mound.”

Lent was also impressed with Oakridge. Despite surrendering 13 hits, the Eagle defense was able to keep the Sailors close.

“I have to give credit to Oakridge in that they made every play defensively,” he said. “We made mistakes and only gave up two runs, but we hit the ball well today and Oakridge made every play.”

Game 2 of the doubleheader was canceled when one of the officials was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons after taking a fall ball to his mask.

“The other umpire was his only ride,” said Lent.