Freshman Blake Patereau follows Grady Sickler’s showing with no-hitter against No. 3 Banks in Challenger Classic

Cascade Christian notched a second straight no-hitter Friday night to remain unbeaten in the Challenger Classic and, more importantly, send notice that the Medford baseball team may be better than some have projected this spring.

Ranked No. 9 in the preseason Class 3A coaches poll, Cascade Christian improved to 3-1 with an 18-1, five-inning rout of Banks, which carried a No. 3 ranking into the season.

The Braves lost in the state semifinals last season after topping the Challengers in the 2023 state championship game.

Freshman Blake Patereau followed Thursday’s no-hit effort by sophomore Grady Sickler against LaPine with a gem of his own, striking out six over five innings with one walk and three hit batters.

The lone run against Patereau was unearned after Banks scored in the second inning on a hit batter, tag up on a flyball out, groundout and an error.

Cascade Christian set the tone early with nine runs in the bottom of the first inning, and led 16-1 through two innings.

Nine errors by the Braves led to only five earned runs allowed, with all but two Challengers coming to the plate three times apiece over the first two innings.

After driving in six runs against LaPine, senior second baseman C.J. Bonner was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs and senior left fielder Carson Willard was 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs.

Bonner and Willard are joined by right fielder Taven Madden as the lone seniors for the Challengers, creating some doubt in how Cascade would handle a roster turnover that includes mostly freshmen and sophomores.

So far, it hasn’t been much of an issue as the Challengers put 11 hits on the board, with Sickler going 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI and Patereau was 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI.

Cascade Christian wrapped up tournament play Saturday with a 10-5 loss to Junction City, which is ranked No. 4 at the 4A level.

Willard was 2-for-4, while Nash Crisp had an RBI single, Patereau scored twice and Madden drew three walks for the Challengers (3-2).

Junction City was able to push four runs across in the top of the seventh to break open the contest.

PHOENIX 12, SWEET HOME 2, 5 inn.: At Murphy, Luke Jennings went 3-for-3 with two runs, three stolen bases and four RBIs and Sam Shilts was 2-for-2 with four runs, four stolen bases and two RBIs to propel Phoenix to a mercy rule win at the Stangs Stampede.

Chris Phillips went five innings on the mound for the Pirates (2-2), allowing two runs — one earned — with six strikeouts and two walks.

Connor Cunningham also reached base three times and scored twice with four stolen bases against Sweet Home (1-2).

Softball

CRATER FINISHES STRONG: At Sparks, Nev., Crater responded from four losses to open the Reed Tournament at Shadow Mountain Complex with a pair of victories Saturday, 5-3 over Damonte Ranch in four innings and 6-3 over Dayton in five innings, to wrap up six games against mostly Nevada opponents.

Time limits in tournament games resulted in almost all of Crater’s contest being shortened to less than seven regulation innings.

Khloe Cohran went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple to pace the Comets (2-6) against Damonte Ranch, while Ady Thayer was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.

Cochran added a double and Allyson Nottingham earned the pitching victory against Dayton.

Crater opened Friday with an 8-2 loss to Spanish Springs and then fell 15-0 to North Valleys. In the nightcap, Crater saw its best chance at victory that day come up short in a 6-5 loss to Alhambra of California.

Crater opened the tourney with a 12-2 loss to host Reed on Thursday.

Danika Brackett went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored to boost the Comets in a four-inning game against Alhambra.

Logan Floyd and Cochran each ripped a triple to help Crater’s cause. The Comets scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to finish one run shy.

Earlier in the day, Brackett went 2-for-3 and Cochran doubled against Spanish Springs, which scored six runs in the fourth inning to settle the five-inning contest.

Boys Tennis

SOUTH MEDFORD 6, GRANTS PASS 2: South Medford scored the top three singles wins with efforts by Alexander Gurov, Antonio Perez-Cansino and Jake VonStrahl to earn the home victory.

SINGLES: Alexander Gurov, SM, d. Chase Huffaker, 8-0; Antonio Perez-Cansino, SM, d. Andreas Gattey, 8-1; Jake VonStrahl, SM, d. Ryan Fritts, 8-3; Carter Moss, GP, d. Crew Allard, South Medford, 8-5.

DOUBLES: Jackson Rasmussen-Bennett Rasmussen, SM, d. James Pirosko-John Dillingham, 8-2; Craig Israelsen-Dawson Hill, SM, d. Derek Huffaker-Kason Kleiner, 9-7; Aiden Brown-Gavin Reckard, GP, d. Darren Burneson-Austin Neville, 8-3; Gabriel Knotz-Matisse Knotz, SM, d. Coleman Richards-David Ruiz, 8-5.

Reach sports editor Kris Henry at kris.henry@rv-times.com or 458-488-2035