After winning league last year and losing in the semi-finals to the eventual champs (Crescent Valley) Wilsonville lost almost their entire roster and in a way had to start from scratch going into the 2022-2023 season.

Wilsonville started the season in a very rough way, losing five of their first six contests and in their five losses the offense was abysmal scoring just 7 runs in losses. Through the first month of the season Wilsonville’s outlook was bleak. With just two Seniors on the roster Wilsonville lacked experience at the varsity level as well as confidence.

Then seemingly overnight Wilsonville flipped a switch, they went on a tear winning their next 9 games and most importantly 7 of those victories came against league opponents. Wilsonville then lost to La Salle before going on another scorching run.

Wilsonville won their next 8 contests all against NWOC teams and went into the NWOC championship game in a winner take all scenario. With Wilsonville and Rex Putnam tied at the top of the standings in the NWOC whoever won the game would be the league champion.

Wilsonville jumped out to a great start punishing Putnam’s starter Shannon Pando for 6 runs in the opening frame. It looked like Wilsonville would cruise to victory with reigning NWOC pitcher of the year on the mound in Justin Schramm and a 6 run cushion Wilsonville was in for a calm relaxing league championship victory.

Instead the Kingsmen fought back, Putnam was able to scratch and claw 4 runs across the next few innings with Wilsonville adding another one in the 4th. Justin Schramm threw a very good game going 5.2 innings and giving up 4 runs and keeping his team in the game. Cooper Adams came into the game to get the last out of the 6th and heading into the 7th inning had a 7-4 lead.

That’s when the wheels started to come off for Wilsonville, multiple walks and a hit had the bases loaded before Shannon Pando retaliated with a double that scored 2 runs. Now just a one run lead and the go ahead run in scoring position manager Bryn Card decided to put in Mark Weipert in an attempt to stop the damage and close out the game.

Weipert didn’t exactly do that, allowing two straight walks. She got the tying run to score but Wilsonville ultimately got out of the inning tied 7-7. Wilsonville went scoreless in the 7th and Putnam couldn’t make any noise in the top half of the 8th inning.

With the NWOC championship game headed to the bottom of the 8th Wilsonville looked to put away their inner conference rival and claim the league title for themselves. With the bases loaded and Berkley Reents at the plate in a tied game in the bottom of the 8th Wilsonville’s 2nd baseman came through. Reents lined a single into right field bringing the winning run home and giving Wilsonville it’s second straight league title.

Reents said after the game, “I went to the plate with lots of confidence and kept my emotions in check to barrel a baseball.”

Mark Weipert also commented after the game on the feeling of winning league: “It was great we are very happy to get it two years in a row, we stumbled during the game but came together when it mattered most.”

Wilsonville will head into the first round of the playoffs as a #3 seed and will take on #14 North Eugene in the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday.