Sports
A8
Saturday, April 2, 2022
ON THE SLATE
Friday, April 1 (Games
completed after print
deadline)
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Eastern Oregon at Warner
Pacific (2), 2 p.m.
COLLEGE TRACK & FIELD
Eastern Oregon at NNU
Invitational, Nampa, Idaho, TBA
PREP BASEBALL
La Grande at Seaside/Jewell,
4 p.m.
La Grande vs. North Marion,
7 p.m.
PREP SOFTBALL
Banks at La Grande (2), 2 p.m.
Elgin/Imbler at Union/Cove (2),
2 p.m.
PREP TRACK & FIELD
Cove, Elgin, Imbler, La Grande,
Powder Valley, Union at Carnival
of Speed, McLoughlin High
School, 10 a.m.
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer
Elgin/Imbler softball coach Miah Burgess delivers instructions at the start of Elgin/Imbler’s practice on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. Burgess, a former college
player who graduated from Elgin, is looking to build up the program and its core of young players.
PREP TENNIS
Pendleton at La Grande, 3 p.m.
PREP BOYS GOLF
La Grande at Milton-Freewater,
TBA
Saturday, April 2
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Eastern Oregon at British
Columbia (2), 1 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Eastern Oregon at Warner
Pacific (2), 11 a.m.
Back on the diamond
Softball program
returns with crop
of young athletes
ELGIN/IMBLER
SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
COLLEGE WOMEN’S
LACROSSE
The Observer
Eastern Oregon at Corban,
1 p.m.
LGIN — A local softball
program is gearing up to
take the field for the first
time in five years.
The Elgin/Imbler softball
program returns this spring, the
first time the high schools have
fielded a team since the 2017
season. Returning to her former
school where she played soft-
ball for the Huskies, head coach
Miah Burgess and her coaching
staff are looking to rebuild up
the program.
“They’re doing fantastic
and working super hard,” Bur-
gess said. “Every day they’re
making improvements and
learning, getting better.”
Burgess and Elgin Athletic
Director Kevin Johnson pro-
posed bringing softball back
several years ago, but that idea
was nixed when the COVID-19
pandemic hit. With spring
sports returning to its normal
schedule this year, the Hus-
kies are ready to hit the ground
running.
Prior to taking up the head
coaching position at Elgin, Bur-
gess played college softball
for Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College and the College of
Idaho. She also spent time as an
assistant coach at
La Grande, helping the team
with its most recent 4A state
championship, in 2019.
Burgess graduated from
E
PREP BASEBALL
La Grande at Astoria, noon
Sunday, April 3
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Eastern Oregon at British
Columbia (2), 11 a.m.
Monday, April 4
PREP SOFTBALL
Echo/Stanfield at La Grande (2),
2 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Eastern Oregon at College of
Idaho (2), 1 p.m.
PREP BASEBALL
Union/Cove at Weston-McEwen,
4 p.m.
PREP SOFTBALL
Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii at Union/
Cove (2), 3 p.m.
PREP TRACK & FIELD
Elgin, Imbler, Powder Valley
at Small Schools Meet, Grant
Union, 4 p.m.
PREP TENNIS
Vale at La Grande, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 6
PREP TENNIS
La Grande at Ontario, 2 p.m.
Thursday, April 7
PREP BASEBALL
Ontario at La Grande (2), 2 p.m.
PREP SOFTBALL
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer
Freshman Isabella Warg swings at a pitch while freshman Kendra Hensley
readies behind the plate during a Elgin/Imbler softball practice at Elgin High
School on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. The Huskies are taking the field this
year for the first time since the 2017.
high school in 2015,
to be versatile,
ELGIN/IMBLER
which was also the
filling in different
SOFTBALL ROSTER
last year that the
positions on the
Huskies competed
field as they con-
2/2 Paige Gifford-Lamb
tinue to learn and
3/3 Rian Rutherford
in or won a state
4/4 Corrina Smith
improve their
playoff game. Now
5/5 Cadence Miles
skill sets.
back at Elgin as the
8/8 Avonlea Crook
“We have
head coach, Burgess
9/9 Isabella Warg
quite
a bit of raw
is looking to revi-
10/10 Madi Schnabel
talize the program.
athletic talent,”
11/11 Alex Monger
“I’m really
she said. “We
12/12 Gracie Howell
13/13 Elizabeth Plisek
impressed with the
have a lot of girls
22/22 Chelsie McKay
effort they’ve put
that are going
31/31 Kendra Hensley
in so far,” Burgess
to play multiple
35/35 Izabel Martin
said of the student
positions.”
50/50 Sofie Adams
athletes. “Softball
The Huskies
is something that
plan to lean on
was a big part of my life, so I’m freshmen Izabel Martin and
happy to see it return.”
Kendra Hensley to lead the way
Elgin/Imbler’s roster
in the pitching department this
includes 14 players, with expe-
year. Infielder Chelsie McKay, a
rience ranging from travel ball
sophomore, is expected to pro-
vide versatility in the infield.
backgrounds to players picking
The program will be a work
up a softball for the first time.
in progress, Burgess said,
The team’s roster includes
adding that the improvement
only one senior and one junior,
over a short period of time has
and the remaining players are
been exponential.
underclassmen. Burgess noted
The Huskies took the field
that this year’s players will have
Friday, April 1
Elgin/Imbler at Union/Cove (2),
2 p.m.
Friday, April 8
Echo/Stanfield at Elgin/Imbler (2),
2 p.m.
Friday, April 15
Elgin/Imbler at Heppner/Ione (2),
2 p.m.
Friday, April 22
Grant Union/Prairie City at Elgin/
Imbler (2), 2 p.m.
Friday, April 29
Elgin/Imbler at Weston-McEwen (2)
2 p.m.
Friday, May 6
Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii at Elgin/Imbler
(2) 2 p.m.
for the first time since the pro-
gram’s revival on Friday,
April 1, in a doubleheader
against Union/Cove. The Hus-
kies will host their first home
games of the year when Echo/
Stanfield comes to town for a
doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
on April 8.
For the Huskies, success
this season may come down to
progress instead of final scores
and stats — Burgess noted that
in-game experience will be cru-
cial for player development.
The program will look to con-
tinue building up as a young
group takes the field in purple
and white for the first time
since 2017.
“Its a brand-new program
and everything came together
really quick. Our main focus
this year is going to be get-
ting better,” Burgess said.
“Hopefully the girls will love
softball and enjoy it, while
getting better and making
improvements.”
Ontario at La Grande (2), 2 p.m.
SPORTS SHORT
EOU Blue and Gold Weekend set to return
Community outreach event planned on Eastern Oregon University campus
The Observer
LA GRANDE — After a two-
year postponement due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern
Oregon University will host its Blue
and Gold Weekend on campus.
The community event is sched-
uled to begin on Friday, May 13,
and conclude on May 14. The
weekend is geared toward commu-
nity outreach and a gathering of
current students and alumni.
“It’s about building connections
and engagements with our commu-
nity, alumni and students,” Athletic
Director Anji Weissenfluh said in
the university’s announcement.
The two-day event includes fun
for all ages, with live music, spike
ball tournaments, barbecue, corn-
hole and more. Alumni will com-
pete in a soccer game, and the
football team will host a spring
scrimmage.
Blue Mountain Summit Realty
Group and Fairway Mortgage are
sponsoring this year’s Blue and
Gold Weekend.
The university’s athletic depart-
ment will be fundraising through
a silent auction in the tailgate zone
on campus — the items set to be
auctioned off have been donated
to the Eastern Oregon athletic
department.
Eastern Oregon University/Contributed Photo, File
Fans pack the stands at Community Stadium at Eastern Oregon
University, La Grande, in this October 2016 photo.
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