Barker hurls Glide to title.

Byline: The Register-Guard

2A/1A BASEBALL

KEIZER - Dakota Barker and his Glide teammates weren't about to let this once-in-a-generation baseball opportunity slip through their fingers at Volcanoes Stadium.

Behind Barker's five-hit complete game and timely production from the bottom half of the Wildcat batting order, third-ranked Glide held off Lakeview 3-2 on Saturday for the OSAA Class 2A/1A baseball championship.

It was the Wildcats' first title-game appearance in 21 years. Glide's only other baseball championship, in Class A, came in 1956.

"It was a great thing to see for these kids and for this community," Glide coach Al Skinner said. "We had a fantastic following, and it was a lot of fun to be part of it."

Glide (23-3) scored twice in the second inning after loading the bases against Lakeview starter Richard Heath, who also pitched a complete game. Jeff Jackson, batting eighth for the Wildcats, had an RBI single before No. 9 hitter Brock Halter drove in the second run with a fielder's choice.

"That's kind of been the M.O. of this team all year," said Skinner, whose team had baserunners in every inning but the first and stranded 11. "When the top half of the order doesn't get it done, the bottom does, so that's not surprising."

Glide made it 3-0 in the fourth, again with the bases loaded, when Heath couldn't handle Barker's tapper to the third-base side of the mound after jamming him with the pitch. The error allowed Jackson, one of three Wildcats with two hits, to score from third.

From there, it was up to the left-handed Barker (5-1), who struck out six, walked none and allowed the Honkers only one earned run. That came in the fifth on a hit batter, a double and A.J. Clemens' sacrifice fly.

Lakeview cut it to 3-2 in the sixth when Barker's throwing error put Zach Hollars on third, and he scored on Matt Barber's groundout. Barker retired the Honkers in order in the seventh on two strikeouts and his ninth groundball out of the game.

"He threw extremely well, with a little more purpose and a little more power in the sixth and seventh than he did the rest of the game," Skinner said.

In 25 years as a prep baseball coach, the last 15 at Glide, this is Skinner's first state title in that sport. He coached Philomath to the 1988 state football title.