High school baseball, softball: Four area teams prepare for state quarterfinal matchups

For Lebanon baseball, Lebanon softball and Scio softball it’s familiar territory. All three reached the quarterfinals last year and are back in that round for games Friday.

West Albany baseball made the state playoffs in 2022, and the Bulldogs have returned to the OSAA quarters for the first time in four years.

Here’s a look at Friday’s matchups.

OSAA seeds in parentheses

5A baseball

(5) Ridgeview at (4) West Albany

Time: 4:30 p.m.

First-round results: Ridgeview def. (5) Corvallis 10-5; West Albany def. (13) Bend 11-5

The Mid-Willamette Conference champion Bulldogs (21-6) won for the 17th time in 18 games. Bend lost 2 of 3 in Intermountain Conference play to Ridgeview (21-7), which won a three-game series against top-seeded and second-ranked Summit in mid-April.

Summit’s loss to 16 seed La Salle on Tuesday ensures West would be at home for next Tuesday’s semifinal against La Salle or 9 seed Ashland with a win Friday.

(7) Lebanon at (2) Thurston

Time: 5 p.m.

Location: Springfield

First-round results: Lebanon def. (10) Putnam 2-1; Thurston def. (15) Hood River Valley 4-3

Lebanon (22-6) has allowed just 14 runs over its last 11 games (10 contests played and one forfeit victory) on its way to a 12-game win streak. All four of the Warriors’ in-state losses came against 5A state playoff teams.

Thurston (25-3) which lost to Crescent Valley in last year’s quarterfinals, started this season 1-3 with losses to Sheldon, CV and an Arizona team before eventually going 18-0 in Midwestern League play.

5A softball

(11) Canby at (3) Lebanon

Time: 5 p.m.

First-round results: Canby def. (6) Ridgeview 11-1 in six innings; Lebanon def. (14) Eagle Point 6-1

Lebanon (19-5) and pitched Alivia Holden held down another opponent Tuesday, marking the 18th time the Warriors have allowed one or zero runs this season.

Canby (15-12), which had its second-round road trip cut in half after traveling to Redmond on Tuesday, lost in the 6A first round last season before going 12-4 in Northwest Oregon Conference play this spring.

3A softball

(8) Valley Catholic at (1) Scio

Time: 5 p.m.

Second-round results: Valley Catholic def. (9) Dayton 6-4; Scio def. (17) Douglas 20-0 in three innings

Scio (22-1) has had a game decided by fewer than five runs just four times this season. Wednesday’s shutout was the Loggers’ 13th of the season.

Valley Catholic (16-6), which lost in the 4A first round last year, has three losses to 4A teams, all state quarterfinal participants.

• More high school sports coverage