After winning the NWOC for the second year in a row, Wilsonville baseball (19-6 overall 16-1 league) took on the North Eugene Highlanders (13-14 overall 9-9 league) In the first round of the playoffs. Wilsonville came into the game as the #3 seed while North Eugene was the #14 seed.

In last years playoffs North Eugene fell in the first round as the #16 seed by a score of 11-7 against Lebanon. On the other side Wilsonville made it to the semi-finals before they fell to the eventual state champions in Crescent Valley.

Wilsonville sent Luke Haener to the mound in an attempt to shut down the Highlanders and did just that. Haener threw a gem to the tune of 5.0 innings pitched with just one earned run and perhaps the most impressive stat just 66 pitches.

After the game Haener said this about his dominant performance on the mound “It was a good outing for me I didn’t have my best stuff the last couple innings but I trusted my team mates and they made plays”

Wilsonville’s offense was dominant through out the matchup putting up 12 runs in just 5 innings of play. Wilsonville had great performances up and down the lineup as the depth of the Wildcat’s roster really showed up in this first round matchup.

Kellan Justice the starter for North Eugene struggled with command early and often and combined with how well the Wilsonville offense performed it was a perfect storm that Justice, Michal Buschelman, and Brock Johnson couldn’t weather.

This will be the end of the road for North Eugene who had a great season in their own right finishing 13-15 overall and 9-9 in league.

For Wilsonville they move on to the second round and will take on Mountain View at home on Friday, Jacob Ogden said about the second round matchup “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but we are very excited and ready to show out.”

It should be a very good matchup as the winner advances to the semi-finals in the 5A bracket Wilsonville and Mountain View will be played on Friday at 5 Pm.