Blanchet Catholic wins Class 3A baseball state championship with rare finish

It was a rare walk-off wild pitch on Saturday afternoon at Champion Car Wash Field in Roseburg.

Blanchet Catholic, with runners on first and third base, picked up a 4-3 win over Cascade Christian in the Class 3A baseball title game after a pitch flew to the back stop.

It was Blanchet Catholic’s second time in the state championship game, and first since moving up from Class 2A/1A.

Blanchet Catholic started the scoring in the bottom of the third inning, as Dylan Cuff hit a double to center field to score Drew Bartels and Mitch Wart. Then Josh Grossman scored on an error to make it a 3-0 lead for the Cavaliers.

Cascade Christian responded in the top of the fifth inning, as Grady Sickler tripled to right center field to score CJ Bonner. Blake Patereau then grounded out to second base to score Sickler, cutting the Blanchet Catholic lead to 3-2.

The Challengers tied the game up at 3-3 in the top of the seventh inning as Andy Alvarez hit a single to center field to score CJ Bonner.

But Blanchet Catholic was able to get its lead back immediately, as Grossman scored on a wild pitch to win the game.

Carson McNally pitched all seven innings for Blanchet Catholic, allowing eight hits, no walks and striking out eight.

Patereau started on the mound for Cascade Christian. In 5.1 innings, he allowed seven hits, three runs (one earned) and no walks while striking out five. Andy Alvarez was credited with the loss. In 1.1 innings, he allowed two hits and one earned run with no walks and two strikeouts. Bonner came in to pitch at the end and didn’t record an out.

Cascade Christian last won the baseball state championship in 2012, with a win over Santiam Christian.

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