West Salem's offensive woes made the trip back up from Arizona as the Titans were only able to plate two runners for the second straight game. 

Brody McMullen started on the hill for West and did his best to keep his team in the game as he struck out six Roseburg batters and scattered four hits over 4 2/3 innings pitched.  John Olsen and Trent Vanwinckel did a nice job in relief, allowing no earned runs over 1 1/3 innings.

Offensively, the Titans did not have a hit in the game until McMullen's third at bat, when he laced a single up the middle.  He ended the day 2-4 with a run scored.  Matthew Luke also added a hit and one run for West Salem.  Despite the frustrating offensive output the Titans had chances late to get at the Roseburg pitchers as they plated two runs in the top of the 6th before leaving the bases loaded.

West falls to 2-6 on the year and hits the road (again) Friday to take on host South Eugene at 4:30pm.

The good news is that the road-weary Titans managed to double their offensive output from their previous game. The bad news is that, for the mathematically challenged folks out there, one doubled is two.

Grandview, out of Colorado, managed to pump 12 runs across the plate in the first three innings of play, putting the game out of reach at an early stage. Matthew Luke started on the mound for West Salem and, while he gave up those first 12 runs, none of them were earned. This was due, in large part, to 8 Titan defensive errors in the game. Joel Spencer pitched the final two innings of the game for West, allowing two earned runs on two Grandview hits.

At the plate Evan Faust put together a fine day going 2-3 with a double and scored one of the Titans’ runs. Colin Kronenberg and Brody McMullen both went 1-3 for West Salem; Kronenberg added an RBI and McMullen crossed the plate.

After starting hot in Arizona with two straight wins, the loss to Grandview ends West Salem’s Arizona trip at 2-3 and 2-5 on the year. West straps the cleats on next Tuesday in Roseburg; a 4:30 start time.

Fun AZ trip facts:

• Brody McMullen (7-17) had a .412 batting average on the trip, leading the Titans in runs (6) and hits (7).
  
• McMullen also managed to hit safely in every game for a 5 game AZ hitting streak.
• Colin Kronenberg and Brooks Ferguson led West with five RBI each on the trip.

For the second game in a row the Titans were topped by a Colorado school in Arizona. Douglas County managed to put 13 runs on the board against the Titans at Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona. Douglas County scored in all but two innings while the Titans lone run did not cross the plate until the 5th inning.

For West Salem, Trey Ward was one of the few bright spots offensively as he went 2-2 in the game with a double and the only Titan RBI. Brody McMullen, Brooks Ferguson, and Jeremiah Pinkerton also had hits for West Salem. On the mound Aden Davies-Turpin provided two solid innings of relief, giving up just one earned run and striking out two.

Douglas County knocks West Salem to 2-2 in Arizona play and 2-4 on the season. The Titans finish their road trip tomorrow against Grandview High School (CO) at 10am from Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona.

At Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, AZ the Columbine Rebels, out of Colorado, were too much for the Titans as they took down West by a score of 12 to 4.

In the losing effort Brooks Ferguson had as big day at the plate going 2-4 with a double, one run scored, and 2 runs batted in. Brody McMullen (double) and Colin Kronenberg (triple) also added extra base hits for the Titans. On the bump Ashton Simmons and Jake Vanotterloo provided 3 1/3 solid innings of relief as they combined to strike out 5 Columbine hitters.

West Salem’s loss drops them to 2-1 on the Arizona trip and puts them at 2-3 on the season. They step back on the field tomorrow when they take on Douglas County at Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona.

Game two of the Arizona trip turned out to be a bit more of a white-knuckler than game one. West was able to take down Green Mountain High School (CO), holding by off a late inning threat as a bases loaded fly out in the final inning secured the Titan victory.

Starting pitcher Evan Faust allowed no earned runs over his 4 2/3 innings pitched and struck out four Rams batters. Matthew Luke, Carter Howard, David Spencer, and Trent Vanwinckel finished the game off for the Titans in relief.

​At the plate West Salem was lead by Brody McMullen and Carter Lesh who, for the second game in a row, had two hits apiece. Brooks Ferguson and Jeremiah Pinkerton added some pop with a triple each, while Lesh added his second double in as many days. Ferguson was the big RBI man for the Titans, as he knocked in three of his teammates on the day.

West will next take on Columbine (CO) at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, AZ on Wednesday at 12:30 pm. The win against Green Mountain evens the Titans season record at 2-2.