One Run, 22 Innings: Storm and Umpqua Trade Defensive Masterpieces

ROSEBURG, Ore. — On a day where hits were harder to find than a dry patch of grass in an Oregon spring, the Chemeketa Storm (baseball) engaged in a pair of absolute defensive duels against Umpqua Community College. Behind a legendary performance from Jack Klee and a combined 13-inning marathon of grit, the Storm left Stewart Park with a split that felt like a masterclass in modern pitching.

Game 1: The Jack Klee Masterpiece

Final: Chemeketa 3, Umpqua 0

If you looked up "efficiency" in the NWAC dictionary, you'd find a picture of Jack Klee. In a sport where complete games are becoming a relic of the past, Klee turned back the clock, tossing a 9.0-inning complete game shutout.

Klee was untouchable, surrendering only three hits while racking up eight strikeouts. He issued just one walk and faced only 31 batters—just four over the minimum.

The Storm offense wasted no time supporting their ace. In the first inning, Kyle Sheller laced an RBI double to left, scoring Liam Irish, before Sheller himself crossed the plate on a wild pitch. In the 5th, Joe Vaccaro added an insurance run with an RBI single that brought home Drew Rice.

• Liam Irish: 2-for-4, 1 Run

• Kyle Sheller: 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 Run

• Jack Klee: 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 8 K (Win)

Game 2: A 13-Inning Test of Wills

Final: Umpqua 1, Chemeketa 0 (13 Innings)

The nightcap wasn't just a game; it was an endurance test. For 12 and a half innings, neither team could buy a run. The Storm pitching staff was once again heroic. Remy Daravivanh started the game with six scoreless innings, striking out seven and escaping multiple jams.

When Daravivanh exited, Julius Bolstad took over and was arguably even more dominant. Bolstad pitched 6.1 innings of relief, also striking out seven and allowing just two hits.

However, the Storm bats went cold against a trio of Umpqua pitchers. Despite Slater Tsuma reaching base four times (two hits, two walks), Chemeketa couldn't find the clutch knock to break the stalemate. The heartbreak finally came in the bottom of the 13th, when Umpqua's Caden Kuhnert squeezed an RBI single through the infield to score Tristan Schaefer, who had reached on a pinch-hit opportunity.

"You can't ask for more from a pitching staff than one run over 22 innings of baseball," said one Storm observer. "It's a tough pill to swallow, but that's the nature of a pitcher's duel."

By the Numbers: Pitching Dominance

The Storm staff showcased why they are one of the most feared rotations in the conference right now. Over two games, the staff combined for 22 strikeouts and allowed only one earned run. This performance comes off the heels of Dylan Hanson's 7-inning Complete Game Shutout last Sunday, meaning the Storm pitching staff threw 28 straight innings of 0's before giving up the single run in the bottom half of the 13th inning.

Moving Forward

While the 13-inning walk-off loss hurts, the Storm proved they can shut down any offense in the region. If the bats can catch up to the arms, Chemeketa is going to be a problem for the rest of the NWAC.

Photo Credit: The Athlete Studio     Instagram: @TheAthlete_Studio