Umpqua Valley Christian gets past Kennedy for Class 2A/1A baseball championship

For the second year in a row, Umpqua Valley Christian ended the school year while hoisting a state championship.

The Monarchs got a late RBI single from Hunter Powell, making the difference in a 2-1 win over Kennedy on Saturday at PK Park in Eugene.

It’s the fifth baseball state championship for the Monarchs, who first won in 2002.

Umpqua Valley Christian was the first team on the scoreboard, as Caleb York hit a single to center field to score Logan Anderson in the bottom of the first inning.

Kennedy responded in the top of the second inning, as Creo Walker scored on a wild pitch.

The Monarchs got another in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Powell hit a single to right field to score York.

Ty Hellenthal recorded the win for the Monarchs. In seven innings, he allowed four hits and no earned runs while walking one and striking out four Kennedy batters.

Henry Beyer pitched the whole game for Kennedy, allowing five hits, two earned runs and walking three while striking out seven.

The Monarchs and the Trojans also played in the 2019 and 2022 baseball state championship games. Umpqua Valley Christian (then playing as a co-op team with Melrose Christian) won 10-5 in nine innings for the 2019 title and Kennedy won 11-1 in six innings for the 2022 title.

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