West Linn blows out South Salem in first round of baseball playoffs

In the first round of the 2015 OSAA Baseball State Playoff game, the West Linn Lions (21-7) took on the South Salem Saxons (12-15) and despite early struggles, destroyed the Saxons 12-2.

Down 2-0, South Salem faced West Linn’s high powered offense in the bottom of the fifth with the upset on its mind. The Saxons lead was erased when Tim Tawa, sophomore, blasted a three-run home run in deep centerfield to send in himself along with Tate Hoffman, junior, and Jake Perkins, junior. Will Matthiessen, junior,  hit a solo shot after Tawa and Brayden Pene, junior, hit a single later scored from third with Colton Cosner’s, senior, sacrifice bunt.

The Lions added six runs in the next inning to extend its lead to 11-2. Hoffman went 4-4 and completed the night with a two run RBI single. Parker Huffman, senior, finished off the scoring with a single to center field cementing the team’s victory.

Karsen Lindell, senior, earned his sixth win of the season, pitching for six innings and allowing just three hits. West Linn hopes to continue its offensive momentum in the round of 16 game at home against Tualatin (18-9) at 5 p.m.