The Mountain View Cougars will take on the South Salem Saxons at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Mountain View has struggled recently with three defeats in a row, while South Salem will arrive with five straight victories.
Mountain View fell victim to Wilsonville and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They lost 21-0 to the Wildcats. The game marked the first time this year in which the Cougars were not able to get on the board.
Meanwhile, South Salem faced Grant in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. The Saxons blew past the Generals 10-3. Considering the Saxons have won three matches by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Noah Scharer was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. He was even better at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played.
In other pitching news, Harrison Buckingham looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time he's pitched this season.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Sawyer Nelson, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and four RBI. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in March of 2024. Gavin Price was another key player, going 2-for-5 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Mountain View now has a losing record of 2-3. As for South Salem, they pushed their record up to 5-0 with the win, which was their third straight on the road.
Mountain View couldn't quite finish off South Salem when the teams last played back in May of 2024 and fell 8-6. Will the Cougars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
