The Wilsonville baseball team just about did it all in its state playoff opener.

The top-ranked Wildcats opened their game against Churchill with two jaw-dropping defensive plays, followed up with four innings of pitching perfection, scored in every at-bat but one and rolled to a 9-2 win over the Lancers in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs at Wilsonville High School on Tuesday, May 27.

Oh yeah – the Wildcats also won for the 28th straight time this year and kept their season-long unbeaten streak intact.

“I’ve never been a part of something like this,” said Wilsonville sophomore shortstop Cole Weber, who went 1 for 1 at the plate with a double, one run scored and two RBIs; he also handled three defensive chances without an error. “It’s just a good group of guys – really fun – and we just did our jobs today.”

“We came out in the first inning and got those two outs at home, and then (senior pitcher Colby Kosderka) comes out and shuts them down right away. It was great,” said Wildcat junior right fielder Ben Wiepert, who went 2 for 2 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI.

“I’ve said the whole year that we have the best defense in the state, so I know I can just go after hitters and my defense will back me up,” added Kosderka, who pitched five innings and allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. “Our defense just helped me out a lot.”

With the win, the top-ranked Wildcats’ 28th straight, Wilsonville improved to 28-0 after winning the Northwest Oregon Conference. Next up, the Cats will host No. 8 Corvallis (21-7 overall after winning the Mid-Willamette Conference) in the state quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Wilsonville High School.

The Spartans earned their spot in the quarterfinals by beating No. 9 Bend 7-4 in the first round.

No. 31 Churchill, meanwhile, saw its four-game winning streak snapped and ended its year at 14-13 after finishing fourth in the Midwestern League. Junior Blake Mikel led the Lancers after going 1 for 2 at the plate with two RBIs.

As to the Wildcats’ big defensive plays, Churchill put two runners on base with one out in the top of the first, but when junior Jace Litten singled, Wilsonville junior left fielder Luke Carli gunned down Churchill’s Brady Bousquet at home.

Then, when Lancer junior Parker Emmons followed with a single of his own, Wildcat senior center fielder Connor Johnston stepped up to throw out Mikel at the plate and end the threat.

After his inauspicious start – Kosderka allowed three hits and one walk in the first inning – Wilsonville’s senior starter settled in and brought his “A” game.

Over the ensuing four innings, Kosderka set the Lancers down in order four straight times and gave his offense room to operate.

“(The key was) was just going after hitters,” Kosderka said, giving his defense credit for his comfort on the mound. “I know that I can trust my stuff and get people out.”

After a scoreless first, the Wildcats powered across nine runs over the next five innings, with highlights including: senior Carter Lam hit an RBI single in the second; Weber doubled home a run in the fourth; Ben Wiepert hit an RBI single in the fifth; and senior Mark Wiepert singled home two runs in the sixth.

“I’ve been swinging it pretty good,” Weber said. “I just got up there trying to do my job and it worked out.”

For the game, Mark Wiepert went 3 for 4 with a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs, and Lam went 1 for 2 with one run and two RBIs.