File photo – The Eureka Loggers

The Eureka Loggers continued to push McKinleyville all the way in conference play, but the Big 5 championship got away from them on Saturday.

With the Panthers sweeping a doubleheader at Arcata, they were crowned 2024 Big 5 champs. 

The Loggers, to their credit however, continued to battle and take care of business, and they swept a doubleheader themselves on Saturday against Del Norte.

And they did it in dramatic fashion, coming from behind in both games and winning 6-4 and 5-4.

The won game two on a walk off, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh to overcome a 4-2 deficit.

Junior Jadyn Payton was instrumental in both wins, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run in the opener, and then going 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs in game two.

Payton has stepped up his game recently.

“Jadyn was our hero of the day,” Eureka head coach Tommy Gale said. “That’s a guy that’s been patiently waiting for his chance and he went there and rose to the occasion.”

Jesse Vasquez, Cole Zeller and Royce Olson each also hit successfully in both games. 

Vasquez was 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI in the opener and was 2-for-3 in game two, while Olson went 1-for-2 with a run in game one and was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run in game two.

Zeller added a hit and an RBI in each game.

Ty Crawford got the start on the mound in the opener and threw 4.2 innings before Jorge Lopez came in to close it out and get the win.

The Warriors scored all four of their runs in that game in the top of the fifth, but they were unable to maintain the momentum late when the home team scored five unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

File photo – Jorge Lopez

Preston Daniels led the Warriors at the plate in game one and finished 4-for-4, while senior team captain Colin Tromble was 2-for-4.

“A few mistakes cost us,” said Del Norte head coach Jeff Cook, whose team left several runners stranded.

Garrett Levitt added a hit for Eureka.

In game two, the Warriors scored three runs in the top of the fifth to overcome a one-run deficit and open up a 4-2 lead, but once again they were unable to make it stick.

“We fought back and went ahead,” Cook added. “Some mental mistakes and errors cost us. Eureka got the clutch hits when they needed them.”

Aidan Rice led the visitors at the plate in game two and was 3-for-4, while Tromble capped an impressive day by going 2-for-4.

Michael Jewell also had a base hit for the Loggers, who improved to 7-2 in the Big 5 and are closing in on the No. 2 seed for the upcoming H-DNL postseason Charles Lakin tournament.

Cooper Ohlsen got the start for the home team in game two and gave up three hits in five innings for a no decision.

Royce Olson got the win in relief.

The Warriors dropped to 1-8 in the Big 5.