Last week delivered edge-of-your-seat action for local baseball and softball teams, with rivalries heating up and playoff implications on the line. From the softball diamond to the baseball field, these games had everything fans love: clutch hits, defensive drama, and that unpredictable magic of local showdowns.
In softball, the Warrenton and Yamhill-Carlton teams created a playoff-style atmosphere, while Astoria and Seaside girls capped off their season with a fiercely competitive final game. Knappa’s squad, despite a strong effort, came up short in their season series against Nestucca, proving that every pitch matters when rivals meet.
Over on the baseball side, the stakes were just as high. Warrenton’s boys kept their league title dreams alive, while Knappa’s team has second place in their sights after a productive weekend. But the real drama unfolded in the Cowapa League, where Astoria’s Fishermen and Seaside’s Seagulls squared off in a rubber match that had fans packed into every corner of Tapiola Park.
Seaside’s season started promising under new coach Briley Reeves, with the Seagulls soaring early before hitting a rough patch as league play began. Meanwhile, Astoria took the opposite path: a slow start followed by a scorching hot streak. After dominating Seaside 11-1 last Wednesday, the Fishermen entered Friday on a seven-game winning streak, sitting comfortably in second place. Back-to-back wins over Tillamook had them in control of their playoff destiny—but rivalry games have a way of rewriting the script.
The game started well for the home team. Leadoff hitter Sam Schacher singled, stole second and third, then scored on a wild pitch from Seaside pitcher Hayden Halsen. Colt Kelly followed with a single of his own, making it 1-0. But that would be the last hit Astoria would get. Despite Kelly crushing balls to the fence and centerfield, the Fishermen couldn’t find a way to bring more runs home. Halsen kept shutting the door, even when Astoria had runners in scoring position.
That opened the door for Seaside to chip away at Astoria pitcher Dallas Norris. A couple of fielding errors in the fourth inning allowed the Seagulls to score two runs, and a bloop single in the sixth made it 3-1. Ethan Underhill (2-3, 2 RBIs) and Brayden Cooley (1-3, 1 RBI) delivered the big hits, while designated hitter Needham Ward chipped in with a 2-3 day from the eighth spot.
In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Tanner Long mowed down the Fishermen in order, sending the Seagulls dugout into a frenzy. Though Seaside sits at 6-15 on the year, two of those wins have come against their Clatsop rivals—proof that in local baseball, records don’t matter when the game is on the line.