Red Queen Trail (approaching the intersection with Road 2060, AKA Ashland Loop Road)
There’s a new trail in town. The Red Queen has been built over the past few weeks and is now open and ready for foot traffic. The trail runs from a couple intersections with Bandersnatch or Jub Jub up to the intersection of Caterpillar crossing the Ashland Loop Road. There aren’t any significant view or overlook areas, but it is a nice trail in the watershed without any bikes.
One way to get there is to park near the water tank where Terrace and Ashland Loop intersect. Just past the water tank on Ashland Loop an unmarked trail begins going uphill. This turns into Red Queen (and is marked) for a bit, before becoming Bandersnatch, and then reverting to Red Queen (again marked as Red Queen). If you are on Caterpillar and want to go down Red Queen look for the unmarked trails heading toward Reeder Reservoir on the left side of Ashland Loop as you are heading down. The left one is for bikes (Jabberwocky) and the right one (not marked as Red Queen but with an indication that is only for walkers and horses) is Red Queen.
After a near miss on day one, Southern Oregon went 2-0 on day two to earn a Sunday game.
The Raiders beat Corban, with an offensive explosion (16-5), for the first time this year. The other four SOU-Corban games weren’t nearly as important as this one so their timing was good.
If SOU can get by Great Falls Sunday morning (11 a.m. start), they will earn a trip to Regionals. They will then need to beat Eastern Oregon twice to win the tournament. It seems a bit unfair that the Raiders will have to win five games to win the tournament while EOU will only need to win four (and Eastern didn’t have to play Oregon Tech–a team they didn’t beat all season), especially since SOU won the conference and was the #1 seed, but, unfortunately, that’s the nature of things.
Kelsey Randall tagged out at home after OIT catcher blocked direct access to the plate
@SOURaiders @SOU_Softball @Kelsee_R
… or was she safe?
SOU beat Oregon Tech this morning in extra innings to continue their season. They play again at 4:30 today (5/7/16).
The call above could have been the difference in the game though. The umpire ruled the runner was out without considering the obstruction rule. Here it is:
9.4.1 Obstruction is the intentional or unintentional act of a defensive team member that hinders or impedes the progress of a runner who is legally running bases, unless the fielder is in possession of the ball, in the act of fielding a batted ball, or in the act of catching a thrown ball.
Notes:
1. The defensive player must be in the process of catching the ball and not merely positioning, waiting for a throw to arrive.
So did the defensive player position and/or wait for a throw to arrive while obstructing home plate? You be the judge:
Oregon Tech catcher blocking (obstructing) home plate without the ball
Another odd thing about this play is (in the series of seven photos showing the entire sequence that I have) the umpire began calling the runner out (with his fist) long before the tag was made. The top photo is the last in the sequence, and it’s the first showing a tag. The umpire was opening his clenched fist in this photo. He had an “out fist” in the three photos prior to this one before the tag.
Happening tonight at Ashland’s UU Church on the corner of 4th and C Streets. This is a benefit concert featuring Slow Corpse and is all ages. I caught a bit of Slow Corpse’s set last night at the Phoenix Clubhouse. Good stuff. Samples here.
All proceeds from ticket sales will help send SOU students to Guatemala for two weeks of service and learning! Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The 3-day double-elimination tournament begins today and runs until Sunday. SOU plays at 2 today. Even though SOU is the #1 seed, they will be playing one of the two teams they had the most trouble with–Eastern Oregon or Corban. They’d much rather play Carroll, Great Falls, or even OIT in the first round, but that’s not how things worked out. The Raiders need to win at least twice to make Regionals.
No fair for me this summer. I’ll be in Copenhagen, Denmark for most of July. I will be seeing some bands though (Black Sabbath, King Diamond, Amon Amarth, Abbath, Diamond Head, etc.)
Patrick Donahue recently played in Germany. In his team’s 17 games he caught 75 passes for 1,353 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Green Bay Packers have offered him a try out.
Dylan Young will be playing for the New Castle Miners in the National Gridiron League in Australia.
