Storm Grit: Wyatt Hooper Leads Chemeketa Through 20 Innings of High-Stakes Baseball

ROSEBURG, Ore. — On a day that required as much mental fortitude as physical skill, the Chemeketa Storm traveled to Stewart Park and proved they have the endurance to match anyone in the NWAC. After a frustrating shutout in the opener, the Storm battled through 11 grueling innings in the nightcap to secure a massive 4-2 victory and a doubleheader split with the Umpqua Riverhawks.

Game 1: Early Deficit Dooms Storm

Final: Umpqua 5, Chemeketa 0

The opener was a story of a slow start that the Storm simply couldn't overcome. Umpqua jumped on the board early, using a two-run single in the first and a three-run surge in the second to build a quick 5-0 cushion.

Despite the scoreboard, Chemeketa's bats weren't silent. Kyle Sheller and Wyatt Hooper both turned in multi-hit performances, and the team combined for six hits—the same number they would record in their Game 2 win. However, Umpqua's Beau Ramsey proved to be a master of escapology, strandings Storm runners in scoring interference throughout his seven innings of work.

A major bright spot emerged from the bullpen, however. Julius Bolstad took over in the fourth inning and delivered five masterpiece frames of scoreless relief. Bolstad allowed just three hits and struck out two, effectively silencing the Riverhawk bats and providing the defensive momentum the Storm would carry into the late afternoon.

Game 2: Eleven Innings of Grit

Final: Chemeketa 4, Umpqua 2 (11 Innings)

The nightcap was an instant classic, defined by elite pitching and high-stakes drama. Chemeketa struck first in the second inning when Wyatt Hooper raced home on a wild pitch, followed by a clutch RBI double from Joe Vaccaro that scored Brodan Curtiss.

Umpqua managed to tie the game at 2-2 in the fourth, but from that point on, it became a battle of wills. Storm starter Remy Daravivanh was sensational, tossing 8.0 innings of two-hit ball and striking out seven. He handed the ball to a bullpen that refused to blink. Pelham Statton, Liam Petty, and Andrew Yost combined for three innings of high-pressure relief, allowing only one hit while the game stretched into the darkness of the 11th inning.

In the top of the 11th, the Storm finally broke the deadlock. With Hooper and Curtiss on base, Chase Saunders stepped to the plate and delivered the hit of the day—a sharp two-RBI single to left field that vaulted Chemeketa ahead 4-2. Andrew Yost slammed the door in the bottom half to earn the save and seal the victory.

Storm Standouts

• Wyatt Hooper (C): A force all day, Hooper went 4-for-8 across the doubleheader, scoring three critical runs and providing a steady hand behind the plate through 20 innings of baseball.

• Remy Daravivanh (P): Delivered one of the best starts of the season, going 8.0 innings and allowing only two hits against a potent Umpqua lineup.

• Chase Saunders (DH): Proved to be the hero in the clutch, waiting until the 11th inning to deliver the game-winning two-run single.

• Julius Bolstad (P): His 5.0 innings of scoreless relief in Game 1 kept the Storm within striking distance and saved the bullpen for the extra-inning marathon that followed.

The Bottom Line

While the Storm would have preferred the sweep, the resilience shown in the 11-inning nightcap speaks volumes about this team's character. Facing a 2-2 tie on the road for seven straight innings is a pressure cooker, and Chemeketa didn't crack. They return home with a split against a tough conference opponent and the confidence that they can win the "long game."

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