Oak Ridge tumbles to Caledonia

Oak Ridge entered Thursday's Class 1 District 3 baseball championship game at Leopold looking for its first district title since 1993, which also was the last time the Bluejays appeared in a district championship game.

But the fourth-seeded Bluejays mustered little resistance against No. 6 Valley of Caledonia, though, becoming the third upset victim to fall to the Vikings in the district tournament in a 21-5 rout.

The district title was the second straight for Valley, winners of five straight games to improve to 9-11. Valley will host a sectional game Wednesday.

Valley coach Bill Altermatt said his team knew they were better than its No. 6 seed.

"It's understandable, but I felt we deserved better," he said. "I wasn't able to be there [at the seed meeting], that didn't help. But after seeing the teams last year, I knew we should be in the top two or three for sure. Like I told the kids, though, I don't mind being the underdog."

Oak Ridge (9-11) scored the first run, grabbing a 1-0 lead after the first inning on Austin Hahs' RBI double. Hahs just missed a home run when the ball bounced off the top of the fence and came back.

The Bluejays' lead was short-lived, as Valley put up seven runs in the second inning and did not look back.

"That was a huge momentum play when Hahs hit the top of the fence," Oak Ridge coach Jason Niswonger said. "That's demoralizing."

Valley scored three runs in the fourth with the help of three errors. Oak Ridge surrendered three more runs over the next two innings without allowing a hit. Overall, Oak Ridge finished with 10 errors.

"We were real tight before the game," Niswonger said. "I could tell they were real nervous. It was evident early in the game we were nervous. I didn't think we were out-classed."

Oak Ridge starter Austin Morrison lasted 6 1/3 innings before running out of gas. The Vikings put up eight more runs in the seventh off Morrison and Hahs , who came on in relief. Morrison finished the scoring with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh.

Valley outscored its opponents 44-13 in wins over No. 3 Meadow Heights, No. 2 Leopold and No. 4 Oak Ridge.

"Parity, the whole district was really close," Niswonger said. "I think anyone could have won it one through six."

The Vikings picked up a complete-game victory from No. 1 starter Jordan Kearns. Kearns allowed six hits, walked three and struck out five.

Hahs and Morrison each finished with two hits for Oak Ridge. Morrison and Hahs also drove in two runs apiece.

Valley Caledonia 21, Oak Ridge 5

Valley 070 321 8 -- 21 14 1

Oak Ridge 120 100 1 -- 5 6 10

WP -- Jordan Kearns. LP -- Austin Morrison. HR -- Morrison (O). 2B -- Morrison (O), Austin Hahs (O), Kris Kearns (V). Multiple hits -- Valley, Ryan Forbes 2-4, K. Kearns 2-5, Zach Hagerty 2-4, Kody Martin 3-6, J. Kearns 2-3, Joe Fahland 2-5; Oak Ridge, Morrison 2-3, Hahs 2-4. Records -- Valley 9-11, Oak Ridge 9-11.