Monday, April 1, 2019
The Observer
Ducks keep dancing, top Bulldogs to reach Final Four
➟➠ ❆ ➤➤ ✠ ✡☛
➨➩➫ ❤ ➲➲ s✎✏❛❡ ➫ ✑
✥✠☞✠✌✍ ➢➤
P ➳➫➲➲
✒✓✂☎ ó ✔ ü ✕ ✖ ✓ ➮ ➻➹ ✓ ➽➬Ú➹➷ ✆ ➶
➺ïï➬➺➽➺➷Ü➬ ➴➷ ➻➱➬ ✗ ➴➷➺Ý
Û➽➶➻
Four, guard Sabrina Ionescu set
the theme for the second-seeded
Ducks.
“All I gotta say is we’re not
done yet,” Ionescu said after
she had 31 points, eight assists
and seven rebounds in Oregon’s
88-84 victory Sunday over top-
seeded Mississippi State.
Satou Sabally had 22 points
and seven rebounds for the
Ducks (33-4), who head to Tam-
pa, Florida, to face the winner
of Monday’s game between top
overall seed Baylor and Iowa.
✔ ➻
➻➱➬ Û➷➺Ý Þ➼àà➬➽á î➹➷➬➶Ü➼
jumped into teammate Ruthy
Hebard’s arms and coach Kelly
✝ ➽➺Ù➬➶
dogged by rumors she may skip
3), who had played in the NCAA
title game for the past two sea-
sons. Two of Mississippi State’s
losses this season were to Or-
road game in Eugene.
It certainly had the feeling of an
away game for Mississippi State,
even though the Bulldogs wore
their home whites. Attendance at
the Moda Center was announced
at 11,534, with the vast majority
cheering on the Ducks — a tough
draw for a top seed.
➬Ú➹➷á ➺➷➾ ➻➱➬ Û➽➶➻ ➹➷➬ ➪➺➶ ➺ ➻➽➼➬
See Ducks / Page 8A
➱➬➽ Û➷➺Ý ➚➬➺➽ ➻➹ Ú➹ ï➽➹ê
é➺➶➱➬➾ ➺➷ ë ✓✆✆ ➪➴➻➱ ➱➴➶
hands to the crowd. The Ducks
had been eliminated in the Elite
Eight the past two seasons.
As Ionescu cut down a piece of
the net, fans at the Moda Cen-
ter chanted “One more year!” at
the junior guard, who has been
☎ ➬➺➴➽➺
✟ Üç➹➪➺➷
➱➺➾
✁ â
points and 15 rebounds in her
Û➷➺Ý Ú➺➘➬ å➹➽ ➻➱➬ ß➼ÝÝ➾➹Ú➶ ðýýã
Tiger softball goes
4-0 in National
Guard Classic
➭➯➲➫➳➵➫➳ ➲ ❡❛✄✄
Grande’s four hits in the win.
The La Grande Tigers soft-
ball team ran its record to
a perfect 7-0 by winning all
four of its games — all against
Idaho schools — Friday and
Saturday at the National
Guard Spring Break Classic
in Nampa, Idaho.
six runs in the second inning
Û➽➶➻ã➴➷➷➴➷Ú Ý➬➺➾á ➺➷➾ ➺➷ ➬➽ã
the third as they routed the
Middleton Vikings.
Jayce Seavert homered
and drove in three runs, and
both Alaina Carson and Kara
Gooderham had a pair of
RBIs for La Grande.
Two Middleton errors with
the bases loaded allowed the
ror allowed two more runs
to score in the frame. In the
second, Seavert hit a two-run
double, and Brock and Hafer
both collected RBI singles to
double the lead to 8-0.
Carson’s RBI double in the
▼ ❒øøúÑö❮❐ ❖
The Tigers broke open
➻➱➬➴➽ Û➽➶➻ Ú➺➘➬ Þ➚ ➶Ü➹➽➴➷Ú
❿❽➊➅❽❻↔ ❺❻❼❽❻❾❿❽➀➁ ➌❽❻ ➈➊➊ ➓❽➑➄ ➒➈➣➁➂ ❽➓ ➅➃➁ ❺❻❼❽❻ ➔➆➄❼❻➒ ↕➈➂➃➙ ❼❻➐➊➑➏❼❻➒ ➈ ➛➜➝➜ ➀❼➐➅❽➄➉ ❽➀➁➄ ➅➃➁ ➞❼➍❼❻➒➂↔
‘Cats cap perfect weekend
➟➠ ➡➢➤➥➦➧ ➟➢➤➧
➨➩➫ ➭➯➲➫➳➵➫➳
Friday, the Union/Cove Ladycats
softball team won a pair of squeakers.
➸➺➻➼➽➾➺➚ ➪➺➶ ➺ ➾➹➘➴➷➺➷➻ ➬➮➹➽➻ ➻➱➺➻
resulted in two blowout wins.
In all, it was a 4-0 weekend for the
Ladycats at the annual Union Spring
Bash, giving the team some momen-
tum heading into an upcoming show-
down with Grant Union/Prairie City.
“We learned a lot from this weekend
and (we have) a lot to work on, but go-
ing 4-0 was really nice,” Union/Cove
Head Coach Paul Phillips said, sum-
ming up his team’s play. “The kids
not allowing a run (Saturday) in two
games was great.”
combining to go 8-for-13 with two
home runs — back-to-back shots by
Nowak and Creech in the sixth — and
nine RBIs.
The big game from Creech was the
beginning of a strong weekend for the
sophomore catcher, who also hom-
ered Saturday. She said she has been
➪➹➽è➴➷Ú ➻➹ ëÛìí ➱➬➽ ➶➪➴➷Úê
“I was taking too long to get to the
➻➴➘➬➶ ➴➷ ➻➱➬ ➻➹ï ➹å ➻➱➬ Ûå➻➱ å➹➽ ➺ ýãþ
Þ➺ÝÝê î ➶ï➬➷➻ ➺ ðÝ➹➻ ➹åñ ➻➴➘➬ ➱➴➻➻➴➷Ú ➹➮
run inning. Glenn and Nowak added
two-run singles later in the frame to
lead.
But Union/Cove loaded the bases
with nobody out in the home-half of
the frame before Kylie Marriott scored
on a passed ball to get the Ladycats
on the board. Glenn followed with a
two-run double to even the score, and
Creech drove in Glenn with a single for
the lead.
Glenn made the lead hold up to earn
the win, striking out four and allow-
ing just one earned run on seven hits.
ï➼➻ ➻➱➬ ó➺➾➚Ü➺➻➶ ➼ï Þ➚ ÛÙ➬ê
ÿ➷➴➹➷ ç➹Ù➬
Daggett and Bruce both added two
RBIs and two hits. Glenn pitched a
complete game and was charged with
12 runs, but four were unearned. She
also struck out eight batters.
in the win, but was able to limit the
damage.
➹å ➻➬➬➶ ➺➷➾ ÛÚ➼➽➬➾ ➘➚ ➶➪➴➷Ú ➹➼➻áí ➶➱➬
said.
Union/Cove hit four doubles to
➻➺è➬ ➺ äãò Ý➬➺➾ ➴➷ ➻➱➬ Û➽➶➻ ➴➷➷➴➷Úá ➪➴➻➱
Friday
RBI doubles from Creech and Taylar
Daggett and a two-run double by Kylie
Bruce accounting for the runs.
Daggett singled home a run to break
✃❐❒❮❐❰Ï❮ÐÑ ÒÓÔ Õ❮❐Ö❐×Ö ÒØ
➺ äãä ➻➴➬ ➴➷ ➻➱➬ ➻➱➴➽➾ ➺➷➾ ➻➽➴ÚÚ➬➽ ➺ ÛÙ➬ã
The Ladycats opened Friday by sur-
Ù➴Ù➴➷Ú ➺ Û➬➽Ü➬ Ý➺➻➬ ➽➺ÝÝ➚ Þ➚ ➻➱➬ ß➹➷➺➷à➺
Antlers and overcoming seven errors
to win a shootout.
ß➹➷➺➷à➺á ➪➱➴Ü➱ ➻➽➺➴Ý➬➾ âãä ➺å➻➬➽ ÛÙ➬
innings, surged to a 12-11 lead with
four runs in both the sixth and seventh
innings.
But Union/Cove escaped in the bot-
tom of the seventh. Callie Glenn hit a
one-out RBI double to tie the score,
and scored two batters later when
allowed in any other game this season.
“(Derrick) is just a really good pitch-
er. We put together some quality at
bats, but we struggled a little bit put-
ting the ball in play,” Phillips said. “I
was proud (of how) the girls stayed fo-
cused and just took care of business.”
Derrick struck out 11, and got some
help when North Douglas scored three
Ü➹➘➘➴➻➻➬➾
➬➽➽➹➽➶
Saturday
✃❐❒❮❐❰Ï❮ÐÑ Ò ✵ Ô ❲ ÖõõÑ❐ö❮❐
✵
➺➷➾ Ü➹➷➻➴➷➼➬➾ ➴➻➶ ➶➻➽➹➷Ú ➹➮➬➷➶➴Ù➬ ïÝ➺➚
to score two more victories, starting
æ➺➽Ý➬➚ ç➽➬➬Ü➱ ➱➴➻ ➺ ➪➺Ýèã➹➮ ➶➺Ü➽➴ÛÜ➬
é➚ê
å➹➼➽ ➽➼➷➶ ➴➷ ➻➱➬ Ûå➻➱ ➺Ú➺➴➷➶➻ ü➹➽➻➱
The top of Union/Cove’s order did
major damage for the Ladycats, with
Glenn, Kaylin Nowak and Creech
Douglas Warriors’ ace Nicki Derrick.
Union/Cove, in fact, scored more runs
in the inning than North Douglas has
➪➴➻➱ ➺
✁ þãþá
ÛÙ➬ã➴➷➷➴➷Ú ➪➴➷ ➹Ù➬➽ ➻➱➬
Warrenton Warriors Saturday.
Daggett pitched a one-hit shutout
and struck out three batters for Union/
ç➹Ù➬á ➺➷➾ ➻➱➬ ➹➮➬➷➶➬ Ú➹➻ ➽➹ÝÝ➴➷Ú ➽➴Ú➱➻
➺➪➺➚ê ç➽➬➬Ü➱ ➱➴➻ ➺ Û➽➶➻ã➴➷➷➴➷Ú
❆ ✁ ✂✄☎✄ ✂✄ ✆
✁ ■✝✞❛ ✟✄ ❆✠✄ ✟②
❍❏❏▲ ▼ ◆❖❖P◗❘❙❯❏❖ ❱P❲
❏❳◗❏❨❨❏❩❯ ❖❏❲❬❘◗❏ ❭❪❫◆❭❭❴❵
✡☛✡☛☞ ✌✍ ✎✏✑ ✒ ✓✔✕✖✗✘ ✏✙✚✛
check out the
✂ ßî
See Ladycats / Page 7A
➻➱➴➽➾ Ú➺Ù➬ ➻➱➬
☎ ➴Ú➬➽➶
➺ âãþ
lead.
Û➽➶➻ ➻➪➹ ➽➼➷➶ ➻➹ ➶Ü➹➽➬ ➴➷ ➻➱➬
ß➽➹Üè ➻➹➶➶➬➾ ➻➱➬ Û➽➶➻ ➻➪➹
second inning. Gooderham
was then walked, Seavert was
hit by a pitch, and Allie Brock
was walked — each with the
bases loaded — to force in
three more runs before Sea-
vert scored on a wild pitch for
a 6-0 lead.
In the third, Carson hit
an RBI single, Lexee Gomes
scored on a wild pitch, and
another error led to a run
before Seavert hit a two-run
home run for an 11-1 lead.
Brock tossed 2-2/3 innings
for the win, striking out four,
walking one and allowing
two runs — one earned — on
two hits.
innings before turning it over
to the bullpen. She struck out
six batters while allowing just
one hit.
úÖ ùõÖ❐øÑ ÒÔ õ❒øùÑÐ✃Ñ ✵
Brock struck out eight as
she tossed a six-hit shutout
— her third of the season —
and Seavert provided all the
➹➮➬➷➶➬ ➷➬Ü➬➶➶➺➽➚ ➺➶ ➻➱➬
☎ ➴ã
gers edged the Warhawks in
a pitchers’ duel.
Seavert hit a fourth-inning
➶➹Ý➹ ➱➹➘➬ ➽➼➷ ➻➹ Ý➬å➻ Û➬Ý➾ å➹➽
Union/Cove cleaned up the defense
✃❐❒❮❐❰Ï❮ÐÑ ôÔ ❐❮õö÷ ø❮✃ùúÖû Ó
The Ladycats won their late game
Friday behind what Phillips said may
have been the highlight of the week-
end for him as Union/Cove posted
✼✽✾✿❀❁ ❂❃❄❅❁❇
ÛÙ➬
▲ Ô ù❮❮ø❒❐ù Ó
➺➷➾ ➺➾➾➴➷Ú ➹➷ ÛÙ➬ ➽➼➷➶ ➴➷
úÖ ùõÖ❐øÑ ÒÒÔ
✉✈✇①③④ ⑤✈✇④⑥⑦⑧⑨ ⑩❶❷⑨❸❹⑨❸
úÖ ùõÖ❐øÑ
Two big early innings gave
La Grande the margin it
needed as it opened Saturday
with a win over the Gooding
Senators.
Carson, Seavert and Brock
each had two hits and com-
bined to collect six of La
Grande’s seven RBIs. Jaiden
Hafer also had two hits.
RBI singles by Seavert and
Brock gave the Tigers a 2-0
Friday
❺❻❼❽❻❾❿❽➀➁ ➂➃❽➄➅➂➅❽➆ ➇➈➉➊❼❻ ➋❽➌➈➍ ➁➎➅➁❻➏➂ ➅❽ ➐➈➅➐➃ ➈ ➆❽➆➑➆ ➏➑➄❼❻➒ ➅➃➁ ➅➃❼➄➏ ❼❻❻❼❻➒ ❽➓ ➔➈➅➑➄➏➈➉→➂ ➒➈➣➁ ➈➒➈❼❻➂➅
Saturday
the only run of the game.
Brock held the lead, and
got out of a two-on, no-out
jam in the seventh for the
win, aided by Seavert throw-
ing out a would-be base
stealer. Seavert, in fact, threw
out two base runners in the
game.
Carson had two of La
úÖ ùõÖ❐øÑ ôÔ ▼ Ñõ❒ø❒Ö❐ Ø
Brock and Seavert both
homered, and Brock tossed
another gem in the pitcher’s
Ü➴➽ÜÝ➬ ➺➶ ➻➱➬
☎ ➴Ú➬➽➶
Û➷➴➶➱➬➾
with a win over the Meridian
Warriors.
Seavert’s RBI double in
➻➱➬ Û➽➶➻ ➶Ü➹➽➬➾ ç➺➽➶➹➷ ➪➴➻➱
➻➱➬ Ú➺➘➬ ✆ ➶ Û➽➶➻ ➽➼➷á ➺➷➾ ➶➱➬
followed with a solo home
run — her third of the week-
end — in the third inning for
a 2-0 lead.
An error in the fourth al-
lowed Hafer to score, and
Brock capped the scoring for
ó➺
✝ ➽➺➷➾➬ ➴➷ ➻➱➬ Ûå➻➱ ➪➴➻➱ ➺
solo shot.
Brock took a perfect game
into the seventh inning, re-
➻➴➽➴➷Ú ➻➱➬ Û➽➶➻
✁✞ Þ➺➻➻➬➽➶ ➶➱➬
faced, before Sam Desloover
hit a home run to get the
Warriors on the board. Abi-
gail Gagnon homered later
å➹➽
✟ ➬➽➴➾➴➺➷á
Þ➼➻ ß➽➹Üè Û➷ã
➴➶➱➬➾ ➹➮ ➻➱➬ ➪➴➷ê
The junior pitcher struck
out 10 and allowed the two
runs on three hits.
La Grande (7-0 overall)
faces Pendleton in its home
opener Wednesday.
See Roundup / Page 7A
❜❏▲❘◗❙❲❏❝ ❞❢❯P❝ ❣P❤❏
❘❩❖❢❲✐❥❦❧ ✐❥♠ ◆❩❩❢❘❯❘❏❖
✺✜✢✣✤✥✺✣✢✦✧✜
❚♦★★ ❋✩❡❡ ✪✫✬✭✭✫✮✬✮✫✪✯✮✰
✱✱✱✳✩❡❡✲✫✴✵✶✷✩✸✵✹❡✳✵❡✻
❑❁❈✽❉ ❊❁❁●
on the
♥
♣
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