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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2015)
Spring an exciting time for sports $ KVSULQJLVKHUH That means ZDUPHUZHDWKHU ZDWHUIDOOLQJIURPWKH VN\VRPHWLPHVWKH smell of freshly cut JUDVVDQGEDVHEDOO It also means that VRIWEDOOJROIWHQQLV track and lacrosse are in VHDVRQWRR%XWQRWKLQJ makes me happier than pine tar, dirt and leather. %DVHEDOOKDVDOZD\V EHHQVRPHWKLQJWKDW EULQJVPHFORVHUWR other people. Some of my best friends are SHRSOH,PHWSOD\LQJ baseball, and I spent the majority of my FKLOGKRRGSOD\LQJIRU P\GDG2QHRIP\EHVW PHPRULHVZDVP\VL[WK ELUWKGD\ZKHQP\GDG came and picked me up early from school and WRRNPHWRD0DULQHUV JDPHDWWKH.LQJGRPH He called in to have them put my name up RQWKH-XPERWURQZKHQ WKH\DFNQRZOHGJHG birthdays, and he EURXJKWDYLGHRFDPHUD WRUHFRUGLWEXWZDV politely, yet forcefully, WROGWRSXWLWDZD\, DOVRJRWP\IRRWVWXFN LQDVHDWZKHQ-D\ %XKQHUZHQW\DUGDQG ,ZDVPRUHXSVHWDERXW my foot than happy DERXW-D\KLWWLQJRQH out. To me, baseball is about community. In a ZD\LW¶VDOHLVXUHVSRUW To some that makes LWERULQJ7RPHWKDW makes it about people. There is ample time to talk and joke and tell VWRULHV7KHUH¶VDPSOH time to talk about ZKDW¶VKDSSHQLQJZKDW KDSSHQHGDQGZKDWZLOO happen. The Hermiston baseball team is LQWHUHVWLQJ7KH %XOOGRJVKDYHDEXQFK of returners and also DJURXSRIIUHVKPHQ FRPLQJLQWKDWILUVW \HDUKHDGFRDFK/DQFH +DZNLQVLVH[FLWHG DERXW,¶PLQWHUHVWHG WRVHHKRZKHILWVWKH SLHFHVWRJHWKHU 2QWKHVRIWEDOO SPORTS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM A7 BASEBALL • BASKETBALL • SCHEDULE SAM BARBEE FROM THE SIDELINES Sports reporter side, Hermiston has a bunch of returners, WRRLQFOXGLQJ/LQILHOG ERXQG$EL'URW]PDQQ VR,¶PORRNLQJWR VHHKRZWKHJLUOVFDQ LPSURYHRQODVW\HDU¶V finish. $W8PDWLOODLW¶V QRWDERXWZLQQLQJ LW¶VDERXWEXLOGLQJ SURJUDPV1HLWKHUWKH baseball nor the softball WHDPILQLVKHGODVW\HDU¶V schedule for various reasons, and Corleone ³%RRWHU´/HZLVLQ EDVHEDOODQG0RQW\ :LOOLDPVLQVRIWEDOODUH ORRNLQJWRDWOHDVWILQLVK WKH\HDUZKLOHDOVR EXLOGLQJDIRXQGDWLRQ ,¶YHDOZD\VWKRXJKW ZLQQLQJZDVDWKUHH VWHSSURFHVV)LUVW\RX KDYHWROHDUQKRZWR compete. Then you have WROHDUQKRZWRZLQ JDPHV7KHQ\RXKDYH WRZLQWKRVHJDPHV 5LJKWQRZ8PDWLOODLV on the first step. The 9LNLQJVKDYHWROHDUQ KRZWRFRPSHWH²KRZ WREHLQJDPHVIRUVL[ RUVHYHQLQQLQJV7KDW WDNHVWLPH<RX¶UHQRW JRLQJWRPDNHHYHU\ SOD\EXW\RXFDQ¶W EHFRPHVRZUDSSHGXS LQQRWPDNLQJWKDWSOD\ WKDW\RXGRQ¶WPDNH the next one, either. It PLJKWEHDORQJVSULQJ for Umatilla, but, as WKHFOLFKHJRHV5RPH ZDVQ¶WEXLOWLQDGD\ In Stanfield/Echo, WKLQJVDUHORRNLQJJRRG 7KH7LJHUEDVHEDOOWHDP is poised to improve on ODVW\HDU¶VILQLVK²D ORVVWR+DUULVEXUJ in the first round of the state playoffs, and the VRIWEDOOWHDPLVORRNLQJ to rebound after an ³XQGHUDFKLHYLQJ´\HDU DFFRUGLQJWRKHDGFRDFK Bryan Bailey. Stanfield has about as complete a team you FRXOGDVNIRULW¶VMXVW \RXQJ,W¶VWKUHHEHVW SEE SPORTS/A8 GO SEE IT Wednesday, March 18 Baseball Hermiston @ Pasco, 5 p.m. Thursday, March 19 Track Hermiston @ Pendleton, 12 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#3HQGOHWRQSP Tennis Umatilla vs. Helix, 4 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#5LYHUVLGHSP Softball Echo vs. Union, 3 p.m. Friday, March 20 Golf Hermiston boys @ The Dalles Invite, 10 a.m. Echo @ Echo Hills Tournament, 10 a.m. Baseball Hermiston @ Central Catholic @ Hillsboro Hops Stadium, 3 p.m. Umatilla @ Sherman County, 1 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOGYV2UWLQJ:$#(SKUDWD:$SP Tennis 8PDWLOODYV:HVWRQ0F(ZHQSP Softball +HUPLVWRQYV3RVW)DOOV,'SP Lacrosse Hermiston @ Century, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 21 Lacrosse Hermiston vs. Canby, 2 p.m. Baseball Umatilla @ Dufur, 11 a.m. Umatilla vs. Kennedy @ Dufur, 1 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOG YV &DVFDGH /HDYHQZRUWK # &DVKPHUH :$DP 6WDQ¿HOG#&DVKPHUH:$SP Track 6WDQ¿HOG#(SKUDWD:$DP SAM BARBEE PHOTO +HUPLVWRQMXQLRU5-5REOHVSLFWXUHGKHUHLQPLGGHOLYHU\ZDVYHU\HIIHFWLYHLQ7XHVGD\·VORVVWR5LGJHYLHZ0DNLQJKLVÀUVW start, the lefty went four innings of shutout ball, allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out six. Hermiston drops season opener 9-4 Robles effective in first start BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD ,Q KLV ¿UVW \HDU DV KHDG coach of the Hermiston %XOOGRJ EDVHEDOO WHDP /DQFH+DZNLQVGLGQ¶WTXLWH NQRZZKDWKHKDG +HNQHZKHKDGDFRXSOH arms and some experience, and he hoped the defense ZRXOG SOD\ ZHOO 8QIRUWX nately for him Tuesday, the GHIHQVH OHW WKH %XOOGRJV GRZQ +HUPLVWRQ EOHZ D OHDG ZKHQ LW JDYH XS IRXU UXQVLQWKH¿IWKLQQLQJDQG four in the sixth behind three errors to drop its sea VRQ RSHQHU 7XHVGD\ WR WKH5LGJHYLHZ5DYHQV 5-5REOHVVWDUWHGRQWKH EXPS DQG ZDV WKH KLJK OLJKWIRUWKH%XOOGRJV 7KHMXQLRUOHIW\WKUHZIRXU VFRUHOHVV LQQLQJV VWUXFN RXWVL[DQGZDONHGMXVWRQH on three hits. ³5- WKUHZ ZHOO´ +DZ kins said. “I think all the SLWFKHUV WKUHZ ZHOO :H ZDONHGRQHDQGKLWRQHEXW , WKLQN WKH ELJ WKLQJ WKDW KXUW XV LV HDUO\ ZLWK WKH EDVHVORDGHGLQWKH¿UVWWZR LQQLQJVDQGVFRULQJRQHDQG WKHQ JLYLQJ XS QLQH UXQV DQG WKH EDOO GRHVQ¶W OHDYH WKHLQ¿HOG7KDWKXUWV ³)RU D ¿UVW JDPH ZH FRDFKHV FDPH WR DQ DJUHH PHQWWKDWZHZHUHQ¶WUHDOO\ UHDG\ WR VKRZ XS´ +DZ NLQV DGGHG ³,¶OO WDNH WKH EODPH WKHUH 7KDW ZRQ¶W KDSSHQDJDLQ´ +DZNLQV VDLG KH ZDV surprised that despite a JRRG WZR ZHHNV RI SUDF WLFHWKH%XOOGRJVZHUHÀDW Hermiston committed three HUURUV DQG DOORZHG HLJKW UXQVLQWKH¿IWKDQGVL[LQ QLQJV Hermiston had oppor WXQLWLHV HDUO\ WR SXW DZD\ 5LGJHYLHZEXWFRXOGQ¶WJHW WKHWLPHO\KLWZKHQQHHGHG ,Q WKH ¿UVW ZLWK %XOOGRJV -D\/LQGHPDQ&ORVH6PLWK DQG 0LFKDHO *RVVOHU RQ 7\OHU6H[WRQJURXQGHGLQWR D GRXEOH SOD\ WR HQG WKHLQQLQJVFRUHOHVV In the bottom of the sec RQG '\ODQ &DOGZHOO DQG 5REOHV ZDONHG DQG .\OHU 0LNDPL UHDFKHG RQ DQ HU URUZKLFKSODWHG&DOGZHOO /LQGHPDQ ZDV EHDQHG EXW DQLQ¿HOGÀ\DQGDVWULNHRXW ZLWKWKHEDVHVORDGHGDJDLQ ended the threat. +HUPLVWRQ ZRXOG JHW WZR UXQV PRUH LQ WKH IRXUWKZKHQ&DOGZHOOZKR ZDONHG VFRUHG RQ DQ HUURU RII WKH EDW RI 5REOHV DQG /LQGHPDQ¶VVLQJOHRQDKLW DQGUXQVFRUHG5REOHV :LWK 5REOHV RQ D SLWFK count and placed in left ¿HOG DQG +HUPLVWRQ XS 5LGJHYLHZ PDGH WKH SEE BULLDOGS/A8 'HVSLWHVHFRQGSODFH¿QLVK +HUPLVWRQJLUOVVWLOOKXQJU\ BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD $IWHU WKH +HUPLVWRQ JLUOV EDVNHWEDOO WHDP ORVW WKH$JLUOVVWDWHFKDPSL RQVKLSWR/D6DOOH)ULGD\ HPRWLRQVUDQKLJKDPRQJ WKHSOD\HUVZKRZHUHXQ derstandably disappoint ed and sad at the defeat. Five days removed IURP WKDW ORZ SRLQW WKH SURJUDP LV DW LWV KLJKHVW of the season, head coach Steve Hoffert said. )ROORZLQJ WKH PRVW successful season ever for D +HUPLVWRQ JLUOV EDVNHW ball team, Hoffert said the UHWXUQLQJ SOD\HUV ² ZKR DUH SOHQWLIXO ² DUH DO UHDG\WKLQNLQJDERXWQH[W VHDVRQ WKLQNLQJ DERXW KRZWRUHWXUQWRWKHVWDWH ILQDO WKLQNLQJ DERXW KRZ WRZLQWKHVWDWHILQDO ³7KHUH¶V D ORW RI KXQ JHU WKHUH QRZ´ +RIIHUW VDLG ³:H WDON DERXW JHW WLQJ WKHUH :H KDGQ¶W been there for years. But RQFH \RX JHW WKHUH SUH SDULQJ IRU WKH QH[W VHD son is much different, DQGQRZWKH\¶UHDOUHDG\ VWDUWLQJ SUHSDUDWLRQV IRU QH[W VHDVRQ ZKLFK QHYHU happened last year.” The mentality of the SURJUDP KDV FKDQJHG and players, fans and coaches can trace it back WRWKHFDPSDLJQ +RIIHUWVDLG1RORQJHULV Hermiston a team that can only make it as far as the VHPLILQDOV7KH%XOOGRJV KDYHSURYHQWKH\¶UHDSUR JUDPWKDWFDQUHDFKWKHIL QDOVDQGZLWKLWVWZREHVW players, Jansen Edmiston DQG6DUD5DPLUH]UHWXUQ LQJ QH[W VHDVRQ +HUPLV WRQLVORRNLQJWRJHWWKHLU DJDLQ Hoffert said this sea VRQ¶V VXFFHVV FDQ WUDFH EDFNWRWZRJDPHVLQ'H FHPEHU WKDW ZHUH PRUH important than the team UHDOL]HG DW WKH WLPH 7KH WZR ORVVHV WR .DPLDNLQ DQG %HDYHUWRQ ZHUH ZKDW +RIIHUW FDOOHG ³JXW FKHFN´ JDPHV 7KDW ZDV ZKHQ +HUPLVWRQ¶V PLQG VHWFKDQJHGKHVDLG 7KH %XOOGRJV KDG DQ other check in January, ULJKW EHIRUH +HUPLVWRQ WRRN /D 6DOOH 7KH %XOO GRJV ORVW WR 6XQQ\VLGH :DVKLQJWRQ RQ LWV KRPH IORRUDIWHUWKH\EOHZDODWH lead. Hoffert said they never should have lost WKDWJDPHEXWLWSURYLGHG EO MEDIA GROUP FILE PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS Hermiston’s Sara Ramirez drives past La Salle’s Taycee Wedin in the Bulldogs’ 51-46 loss to the Falcons Friday in the 5A state championship game in Corvallis. DQRWKHU ³JXWFKHFN´ WKDW “resilient” to describe they turned around and his team after those mo XVHG WR EHDW /D 6DOOH RQ ments. its home floor. SEE BASKETBALL/A8 +RIIHUW XVHG WKH ZRUG 6WDQ¿HOGUHDG\WRFRQWLQXHZLQQLQJZD\V BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD 7KH 6WDQ¿HOG EDVHEDOO team is primed to improve on its early exit in last \HDU¶VVWDWHSOD\RIIV 7KH7LJHUV¿QLVKHG ODVW \HDU LQ WKH $ (DVWHUQ2UHJRQ/HDJXHDQG HDUQHG D WRS¿YH UDQNLQJ EXW WKH\ FRXOGQ¶W JHW SDVW +DUULVEXUJLQWKH¿UVWURXQG of the state tournament. 1RZ ZLWK PRVW RI LWV FRUH UHWXUQLQJ 6WDQ¿HOG LV UHDG\ WR JHW WKLQJV JR LQJ )ULGD\ DJDLQVW 2UWLQJ :DVKLQJWRQ ³7KH FRDFKLQJ VWDII has been pretty impressed ZLWK KRZ GHGLFDWHG WKH\ are,” head coach Bryan -RKQVRQ VDLG ³7KH\¶UH DOO FRDFKDEOH 7KH\ JHW LW :H¶UH VWDUWLQJ IDUWKHU DKHDGWKDQZHKDYH8QIRU WXQDWHO\ EDVNHWEDOO GLGQ¶W make the state tournament. , WKLQN WKH\¶UH H[FLWHG WR play some other people.” $OPRVW WKH HQWLUH JURXS RI DWKOHWHV SOD\HG WRJHWKHU over the summer, and John son said that, plus the early VWDUW ZLWK EDVNHWEDOO SOD\ HUVZKLFKLVQ¶WXVXDOO\WKH case, is a major contributor WRKRZZHOOWKHVHDVRQKDV EHJXQ 7KDWFRUHLVODUJHO\PDGH up of sophomores. Dylan *URJDQ 7K\OHU 0RQNXV 5\DQ %DLOH\ DQG 7RQ\ Flores all factor in as im SRUWDQWSLHFHVWR6WDQ¿HOG¶V EDVHEDOOSX]]OH ³7KRVH IRXU JX\V DUH NLQGRIRXUWRSSHUIRUPLQJ returners,” Johnson said. “They all four hit, play de IHQVH 7KH\¶OO EH SLWFKLQJ DQGFDWFKLQJ7KH\¶UHJRRG athletes.” $GGLQVRPHXSSHUFODVV PHQ LQ 6WHYHQ $OOHQ DQG .HLWK :DPSOHU DQG -RKQ VRQIHHOVUDWKHUJRRGDERXW his roster. Johnson pointed out 0RQNXV ZKR ZDV SUDF WLFLQJ EHKLQG WKH SODWH ODVW SEE TIGERS/A8