By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

PENDLETON — Determination radiated from the Pendleton softball team with each ensuing run as the score climbed higher and higher Thursday. As the game moved out of reach, the Milwaukie players just looked happy to be there, cheers and chants emanating from behind the chain link fence in the dugout.

The Bucks erupted for a 17-1 victory in the play-in round of the postseason at home, brushing off the Mustangs on their way into the first round of OSAA playoffs next week. Pendleton (19-7) will host another game in the Round of 16, and as the likely top seed, will draw the lowest ranked team remaining.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

MILTON-FREEWATER — The Mac-Hi Pioneers have two safe bets to make it out of the Greater Oregon League district track and field meet in La Grande this week and into the Class 4A State Championships.

Both sprinter Nathan Dombrosky and javelin thrower Pancho Saldana are leading the GOL in their events this season and by a wide margin. They’ll look to uphold their leads when the two-day meet kicks off at Eastern Oregon University on Friday at 3 p.m.

Saldana’s mark of 203 feet, 6 inches broke a school record — also previously held by Saldana — and ranks far beyond any other competitor’s dreams this season. He’s out-thrown all of 4A by more than 16 feet and is 35 feet ahead of any GOL athlete.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

PENDLETON — Consistently at district track meets — and even more so in small leagues like the Columbia River Conference — it pays to have size. Not the hulking girth that launches a shot put or the height to get up and over a high jump bar, but size in numbers.

That’s the Hermiston Bulldogs this season, who will look to take home a CRC district title during the two-day track meet in Pendleton this weekend. Events start at 2:30 p.m. on Friday with another full day of competition on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.

Particularly on the girls’ side, the Bulldogs are stacked high.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

HERMISTON — Last December when the Hermiston Bulldogs were wrestling in Couer d’Alene, Idaho, at the Tri-State Tournament, then-coach Curt Berger approached a first-year Washington assistant from Moses Lake High School.

Berger mentioned he knew about Shaun Williams’ career. He told Williams of his plans to retire after the season. He suggested the Washington coach keep the opening in mind.

Five months later, the Hermiston school board approved 35-year old Williams as Berger’s successor on Monday, sweeping in a new era for the Bulldog wrestling program.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

ECHO — With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Alisen Neasham’s atbat was interrupted by a pitching change. Ahead 2-0 on Weston-McEwen reliever Taylor Entze and with a pair of runners on base, the TigerScots motioned for Molly von Borstel — the game’s starter. On a scorching afternoon in Echo, Neasham did not feel good being put on ice.

“I got a little nervous at the beginning but then I took some time, breathed through it and took a deep breadth before I stepped into the box again,” the Echo shortstop said. “And I did what I was supposed to.”

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

LA GRANDE — Creating a worthy encore after Mac-Hi pitcher Colette Robert threw a perfect game on Saturday would be a tough task for most teams, but Monday’s league-tiebreakering softball game with Baker gave Kaitlin Erm the perfect opportunity to try her hand at flirting with a no-hitter.

Erm shut down Baker for four innings before tagging in Robert to finish off the Bulldogs in a 1-0 neutral-site contest in La Grande. The victory gives the Pioneers (14-9, 10-2 GOL) the Greater Oregon League top seed going into the play-in round of the state playoffs this weekend.

The Pioneers will host for their next game, likely on Saturday although the scheduling has not been finalized.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

ATHENA — Micha Hintz had some trouble getting on base against Weston-McEwen in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Saturday, twice having potential base hits taken away by ranging defenders.

But in the 10th inning, Hintz made it to second base without even picking up a bat and provided the go-ahead run in Heppner’s 3-2 victory to help the Mustangs salvage a split with the TigerScots in Athena.

Per OSAA ruling, when a game exceeds nine innings, the final batter from inning No. 9 starts the 10th at second base. The rule is designed to spark the offenses and lessen the likelihood of marathon games. On Saturday, it did just that as Hintz tagged up and scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Baily Bennett after both teams had left runners in scoring position in the innings since the end of regulation.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

HERMISTON — The sparks in the heart of Pendleton’s offense did little more than fizzle in Friday’s Columbia River Conference finale. But the Bulldog defenders certainly did their share to make up for it.

Pendleton waltzed to a 9-1 victory in Hermiston with just seven hits, supplemented by seven errors and almost as many wild pitches.

The win likely cements the Bucks (19-5, 10-2 CRC) into second place in the Class 5A RPI rankings by the OSAA. With the rankings freeze set to kick in at midnight on Monday, that would mean Pendleton will draw the No. 2 spot for the play-in round of the postseason. As of Friday night — before any last-minute moving and shaking — the Bucks are matched up with Cleveland (5-11, 3-7 PIL) for a home game.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

STANFIELD — Weston-McEwen came into its final doubleheader of the regular season on Friday needing to win just one game for a guaranteed Special District 6 league title.

The TigerScots left Stanfield with two wins and the crown.

Weston-McEwen’s Dallas Reich out-dueled Devin Bailey of the Tigers in Game 1 for a 2-0 decision that gave the TigerScots (18-4, 13-1 SD6) the No. 1 seed for the district tournament and a bye into the finals at Bob White Field in Pendleton on Saturday, May 19.

By AJ MAZZOLINI
East Oregonian

NYSSA — A promising junior campaign for Erik Carranza of the Riverside Pirates hit some rocky waters and ran aground last season when the runner couldn’t shake a hamstring injury. The lingering tightness followed him throughout the season, compounding fractions of seconds onto his sprint times.

But with both his money makers feeling strong and those nagging problems behind him, Carranza feels poised to make a run at the podium this postseason, starting at the Eastern Oregon League district meet in Nyssa this weekend. Competition is spread over two days with action beginning on Friday at 2 p.m.

“He’s been good his whole career for us and we’ve finally got him healthy,” coach Dave Boor said. “He’s got a legitimate chance to do some damage (at the state meet). But he’s got to get there first. That’s what districts are all about.”