Stars struggle at home tournament

AAA LEGION BASEBALL – Playoff tune-up goes south for Northwest club

By Andrew Nemec

The Gresham Outlook, Jul 22, 2010

Andrew Nemec / Sandy Post

Northwest Stars' infielder Tom D'Aboy makes a toss across the field during last weekend's tournament.

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If the Northwest All-Stars were hoping that their invitational — hosted at Sandy High School — would be the jumping off point for a strong run heading into the Regional Tournament they are going to have to head back to the drawing board as the team lost three of their four games, including a 6-2 loss to the Camas Cyclones on Sunday.

It was just a day earlier that the Northwest All-Stars played that same Camas team and appeared to have righted the ship after losing the first two games of the tournament. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead and never trailed on their way to a 7-5 victory over Camas.

Taylor Dunn started for the Northwest All-Star’s and pitched six strong innings on his way to picking up the win, before Bobby Rigala earned the save with a strong seventh inning to close it out.

Sunday’s contest was a rematch that determined the fifth place team for the tournament. Dusty Turin — usually a third baseman — got the start and threw well, while Ethan Teel, the team’s first baseman, closed out the game by giving up just one unearned run in three innings of relief.

“We didn’t play very well,” Luebbert said. “They hit two or three balls really hard and we kicked the ball around when they didn’t.”

In the championship game Sunday afternoon the Walla Walla Bears defeated the Vancouver Coyotes.

Next up for the Northwest All-Stars will be a light week before they head into regional play.

For extended game coverage check the Wednesday, July 21, edition of The Outlook.