Valley North Comes Up Short

Valley North was one out from a trip to Rapid City, S.D., for the American Legion World Series when its improbable playoff surge ran out of steam.

Medford, Ore., tied the score in the ninth inning against previously undefeated Mike Kunes and finished off Valley North, 9-6, in 10 innings Tuesday night to win the Region 7 championship.

Valley North stayed alive earlier in the day by eliminating the Boise Gems, 7-3.

Medford had a runner on first with two out in the top of the ninth with Valley North holding a 6-5 lead. Medford shortstop Alex Chavez doubled off Kunes (13-1) to tie the score.

In the bottom of the inning, Micah Berger led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second base by Frank Dipoma. But he was stranded there and the game went to extra innings.

Kunes was tiring but went out for the 10th, only to be greeted by three hits that Medford turned into three runs.

“If I was going to lose, I didn’t want any help,” Kunes said after allowing nine runs and 14 hits.

Valley North (36-8) went down quietly in the 10th, when Medford reliever Hans Smith retired the Chatsworth team in order.

Shortstop Matt Fisher hit two solo home runs in the game and Berger hit his fourth home run of the tournament.

Second baseman Joe Tillmon won the Gatorade Scholarship Award as the outstanding player of the tournament. Tillmon received a $1,000 scholarship which he can use next year when he attends Moorpark College.

“It’s great,” Tillmon said. “I’m happy, but my parents will be more happy. It’s for them.”

Valley North advanced to the final by defeating the Gems, who handed Medford its only loss of the tournament Monday night.

Ryan Robbins pitched an eight-hitter for Valley North and Fisher went two for three with three RBIs.

Dipoma erased a 1-0 deficit in the fourth inning with a two-run home run and Valley North increased the lead to 4-1 when Fisher singled home Tillmon, who led off the fifth inning with a triple. After a fielder’s choice, Tim Weigand singled to score Bryan Gant.

Robbins retired 15 of 20 batters from the third through the eighth innings.

“Ryan did exactly what we needed,” Valley North Manager Matt LaCour said. “We needed a complete game and he gave it to us.”

With a 4-2 lead going into the ninth, Valley North added three runs on four hits.

“The three runs were huge,” LaCour said. “We needed that cushion.”

Medford is one of eight regional winners that will advance to Rapid City for the World Series beginning Friday.

Valley North finished 15-2 in tournament play after winning its first 13 game.

After a mediocre regular season left the team seeded seventh in the District 20 tournament, Valley North won that tournament, the Area 6 title and the state tournament at Yountville.

Then Medford knocked off the team of past and present Chatsworth High players in two of the last four games.