Rogues ace Chapple fans eight in eight innings during PEL opener; Mustangs duo combines for one-hit shutout

Medford Rogues ace Bronson Chapple lived up to his billing Friday night, pitching eight solid innings while getting steady offensive support to lead the hometown squad to an 8-5 win over the Solano Mudcats at Harry & David Field.

Chapple, an Oregon Tech product from Utah, struck out eight with one walk and four hits allowed in Medford’s Pacific League Empire opener. The right-handed pitcher’s only real mistake came in the fifth inning on a pitch that Solano’s Zach Goldenberg drilled over the fence for a three-run home run.

Otherwise, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Chapple was smooth and steady in improving to 4-0 with a 2.54 ERA in the collegiate wood-bat summer season for the Rogues (15-6).

Medford had already staked Chapple to a 5-0 lead by the time the fifth inning came around, then provided a key answer in the sixth inning when Johnny Alley cleared the bases for a three-run hit that returned the Rogues’ cushion to 8-3.

Alley finished 2-for-5 with five RBIs, while Kyle Norton went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs and the Rogues saw Caden Casagrande and Frankie Rutigliano each go 2-for-4 with one run scored.

Medford, which outhit Solano 11-5, did see its string of double-digit production come to an end at four.

Game 2 of the four-game series will be at 6:35 p.m. Saturday night, with a 3:35 p.m. doubleheader set for Sunday at Harry & David Field.

American Legion

MEDFORD MUSTANGS 17, BEAVERTON SOCKEYES 0, 5 inn.: At Clackamas, Medford piled up 10 runs in the top of the first inning to seize full control in its tournament opener.

Brady Patterson hit a two-run single and Jackson Rosenthal added a three-run double — his second two-bagger of the frame — to help get the Mustangs (11-1) off to a fantastic start.

Jack Knips added a three-run home run in the fourth inning to finish 2-for-2 with two runs and three RBIs.

Rosenthal was 2-for-3 with three runs and four RBIs, Patterson went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs and Keegan Painter also plated a pair of runs to lead the Mustangs.

On the mound, Dominic Daffron struck out two and allowed one hit in two scoreless innings before giving way to Cade Pettersen, who pitched three scoreless and hitless frames with six strikeouts and two walks.

Medford was set to play a doubleheader Saturday against Rose City before wrapping up tournament play Sunday afternoon against Clackamas.

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