Elmira nearest rival in SHS’ new league, softball team includes MHS’ Milbrett

April 21, 2023 — On April 11 Elmira came to Florence for baseball and softball games against Siuslaw.

Both schools, because of declining enrollment numbers, dropped from the 4A Sky-Em League last year to the 3A Mountain Valley Conference this, meaning the Falcons remain as the nearest rival, geographically, to the Vikings.

To add to the local connection, the Elmira softball team includes Mapleton sophomore Morgan Milbrett who plays outfield for the Falcons. Milbrett’s Falcons won the game at Siuslaw on April 11 27-8. Later in the week the Viks traveled to Elmira for a doubleheader and lost both games, 17-2 and 14-4.

Across campus, at Jiggs Dodson Field the baseball team won their home match-up with Falcons 11-5.

“I was overall pleased with our pitching performance by both Andrew {Jensen-Norman] and Micah [Blankenship],” said Siuslaw coach Tom Shinn after the April 11 game. “We gave up 5 runs in the third inning with Andrew on the mound, but a couple of errors were responsible and none of the runs were earned. Micah came in and earned a 3 inning save pitching very well.”

On April 14 the Viks went to Elmira for a twinbill.

In the first game the Falcons picked up their first win of the season, 12-10. In game two the Viks throttled Elmira 13-2.

Senior Noah Dotson pitched his third complete game of the season to earn the win in game 2. He struck on 9 while only giving up 4 hits and 2 runs.

Sophomore Max Reynolds picked up hits in all three games against the Falcons continuing a hitting streak that sits at 10 games at press deadlines and increasing his batting average to .467.

Both teams had light schedules this week. The Siuslaw baseball team traveled to Taft for a game on April 18 and the softball team hosted Coquille on April 20. Both these games were non league match-ups.