Beaverton — It’s been seven years since the Southridge Skyhawks could claim victory over the Jesuit Crusaders, a private school powerhouse that regularly runs atop the Metro League. Entering Tuesday’s game, Southridge was coming off a league opener loss to Westview on Monday, while this was the league opener for the Crusaders, who had lost two in a row to close non-conference play. For one program, the cold times would continue while the other one snapped a long streak and injected momentum into their up and down season.
It was a scoreless opening frame for the teams, both of which put on runners but couldn’t convert them into runs. On the fourth pitch of the second inning, Grace Athanas went deep on Jesuit, drilling a solo shot to right field and opened up a 1-0 lead on the Crusaders. Berkleigh Tuck got hit by a pitch in the bottom of the second for Jesuit, eventually tying the game on an error during a stolen base attempt, knotting the game 1-1 after two innings. Ainsley Davis struck out back-to-back in the third inning, but AJ Peterson homered with two gone for Southridge, putting the Skyhawks back in front 2-1 after 2 1/2 innings. Jesuit responded again in the bottom frame, knocking in the tying run on a Sam Blachly double, giving us a 2-2 score after three innings.
Southridge was unable to score in the top of the fourth, opening the door for Jesuit to take the lead back in the bottom of the inning, with Pema Yehshopa bringing home Caroline Murphy and putting the Crusaders back up 3-2 after four innings in Beaverton. The Skyhawks found momentum in the fifth inning, drawing back-to-back walks to open the inning. Sloane Senson scored to tie the game on a passed ball, then Athanas went deep for the second time in the game, this one was a three-run bomb to make it 6-3 Southridge after 4 1/2 innings. Jesuit would cut it back down to 6-5 from a passed ball and bases loaded walk, but Southridge would hang on to their one run lead after five innings.
Leading by a lone run, Southridge would get some insurance with a run from a bases loaded walk, making it 7-5 Skyhawks and a Rachel Powers groundout made it 8-5 Southridge. Peterson would take care of the rest in the circle for Southridge, not allowing another Crusader on base in the final two innings and allowing the Skyhawks to pick up their first win over Jesuit since 2015. Grace Athanas led the Skyhawks by going 2-2 with two homers, four RBI’s, and drew two walks. Sloane Senson drew three walks and AJ Peterson hit a homer and scored two runs. Southridge (6-5) faces red-hot Canby on Wednesday, Jesuit (11-3) looks to bounce back against Mountainside on Wednesday
Elite Oregon Girls 