Twelve Innings of Tenacity: Storm Stuns Umpqua in Extra-Inning Walk-Off

Storm Show Resilience in 12-Inning Thriller; Settle for Friday Split with Umpqua

SALEM, Ore. — If Friday's doubleheader at Chemeketa Community College proved anything, it's that the Storm have no shortage of "quit." In a day defined by high-stakes drama and a marathon victory, Chemeketa showcased a gritty defensive identity and a flare for the dramatic, securing a 4-3 win in a 12-inning masterpiece before dropping a close 3-2 decision in the nightcap.

Game 1: The Nine-Inning Resurrection

Final (12 Innings): Chemeketa 4, Umpqua 3

For eight innings, it looked as though the Storm would be the victims of a dominant pitching performance by Umpqua's Tristan Ledbetter. Trailing 3-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Chemeketa bats finally woke up to protect their home turf.

Kyle Sheller and Wyatt Hooper reached base to set the stage for Brodan Curtiss, who crushed a two-run double to pull the Storm within one. Moments later, Joe Vaccaro lofted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Curtiss and sending the Salem crowd into a frenzy as the game moved to extra innings tied at 3-3.

The heroics weren't limited to the plate. The Storm bullpen delivered seven innings of hitless, scoreless baseball to keep the game alive. Andrew Yost provided four perfect frames of relief, followed by Liam Petty, who earned the win with three dominant innings, striking out three and allowing just one hit.

The marathon ended in the bottom of the 12th. With the bases loaded and the tension at a breaking point, Chase Saunders showed elite plate discipline, drawing a walk-off walk to score Slater Tsuma and seal one of the most resilient wins of the season.

Game 2: A Duel to the Finish

Final: Umpqua 3, Chemeketa 2

The nightcap was a traditional pitcher's duel that saw Chemeketa jump out to an early lead. In the first inning, Liam Irish doubled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Slater Tsuma. A defensive miscue by Umpqua allowed Kyle Sheller to cross the plate later in the frame, giving the Storm a 2-0 cushion.

Storm starter Max Eaton was a model of consistency, tossing a complete game. Eaton navigated seven innings without allowing a single strikeout, relying instead on a stellar defense that induced ground balls and fly outs all afternoon.

However, Umpqua chipped away. A solo home run by Trevor Ratliff in the second and a manufactured run in the fourth tied the game. The heartbreak came in the top of the seventh, when a sacrifice fly gave the Riverhawks a 3-2 lead. The Storm put the tying run on base in the bottom half after Dylan Cuff drew a pinch-hit walk, but they were unable to find the final hit to force extras for a second time.

Storm Standouts

• Kyle Sheller (3B): A combined 4-for-8 on the day with two runs scored, Sheller was the engine of the Storm offense in both contests.

• Brodan Curtiss (1B): Provided the "clutch" moment of the day with his two-run double in the ninth inning of Game 1.

• Liam Petty & Andrew Yost (P): The duo combined for 7.0 innings of relief in the opener, allowing zero runs and only one hit to bridge the gap to the walk-off.

• Max Eaton (P): Showed incredible efficiency in Game 2, throwing a complete game on 98 pitches.

The Bottom Line

The split moves the Storm forward with a clear sense of confidence. The ability to climb out of a three-run hole in the ninth inning against one of the region's better arms shows a level of maturity that will be vital as the season progresses. While the Game 2 loss was a tough pill to swallow, the Storm proved they can go toe-to-toe in low-scoring, defensive battles.

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