S PORTS
www.hoodrivernews.com
Hood River News, Saturday, May 30, 2015
A7
Ward’s no-hitter propels HRV over Dallas
Eagles shut out Dragons, 5-0, advancing to quarterfinals for home game against Putnam on Friday
Photos by Ben Mitchell
RYAN WARD (above) hurls a pitch at a Dallas batter in Wednesday’s playoff game, during which he pitched a no-hitter and struck out
17 batters. At top right, shortstop Skyler Hunter rounds third base on his way to scoring one of his two runs. At bottom right, outfielder
Riley Van Hoose stretches out on his way to making a successful catch.
By BEN MITCHELL
News staff writer
On paper, Wednesday’s playoff game fea-
turing the HRV Eagles and the Dallas Drag-
ons seemed like it might be a good matchup.
A No. 7 against a No. 10. A team that gives up
the fifth-fewest runs in 5A versus a team that
scores the fifth-most runs in 5A.
But it wasn’t. After jumping out to a 2-0
lead in the first inning, the Eagles took the
fire out of the Dragons, extending their lead
to 5-0 in the third inning and keeping it safe
thanks to starting pitcher Ryan Ward, who
had his best game of the season, throwing a
no-hitter and just one walk away from a per-
fect game. HRV had eight hits to Dallas’
none, and no errors to Dallas’ three.
But HRV coach Erich Harjo “wasn’t really
surprised” by the victory, nor by Ward’s
game on the mound.
“He’s taken pretty much everyone all was really good,” Harjo said of Ward’s game.
year,” he said.
“His off-speed pitches were really working
Ward’s pitching confounded everyone in and that really sets up his fastball. He hides
Dallas’ lineup, as batter after batter left the the ball pretty well too.”
plate in frustration and went to go sulk in the
On offense, Skyler Hunter led HRV with
Dragons’ dugout. No amount of practice two hits in four at-bats, both bunts, including
swings or glove-adjusting seemed to make one that started off the first inning. Harjo
any difference. In
noted that the “ability
seven innings, Ward
to bunt the baseball
struck out 17 batters
was really big for us be-
and only on five occa-
cause we knew defen-
sions did Dallas bat-
sively (the Dragons)
ters make contact
weren’t very strong.”
with his pitches, forc-
Hunter scored a
ERICH HARJO
ing HRV’s defense to
team-high two runs,
go to work, which it
tied with Ward, who hit
did. Ward tore
an RBI-triple in the bot-
through Dallas’ lineup at breakneck speed, tom of the first. Patrick Harvey led in RBI
starting and finishing innings in just a few thanks to a two-run RBI single he hit in the
minutes.
bottom of the third, which was his lone hit of
“His tempo was really good and his pace the night.
‘(Ryan Ward’s) taken pretty
much everyone all year.’
Other hitters for HRV included Chase Lar-
iza (1 for 2, single, run), Kam Walker (1 for 4,
single), Adam Cameron (1 for 3, single), and
Kellan Duffy (1 for 2, RBI single).
HRV’s offense matched up well against
Dallas’ left-handed pitcher, Logan Hatley, of
whom Harjo spoke highly.
“They were good; that’s a good baseball
team, with that guy they have on the mound,
he’s one of the best in the state,” he said.”
No. 7 HRV was scheduled to face No. 15
Putnam in Hood River Friday at 4:30 p.m.
since the Kingsmen won a surprise 7-6 victo-
ry over No. 2 Churchill Wednesday night.
Another interesting upset was No. 14 Pendle-
ton’s 10-3 defeat of No. 3 Corvallis. Pendleton
faces No. 6 Crescent Valley on Friday and if
both Pendleton and HRV win on Friday, the
two teams will have a Columbia River Con-
ference showdown in Hood River on Tuesday
in a semifinal game.
Boys lax rolls Rex Putnam in Cascade Cup’s opening round
Eagles unhorse the Kingsmen in 18-3 victory to set up second-round game with Grant on Friday in Hood River
BY BEN MITCHELL
News staff writer
Photos by Ben Mitchell
HRV SHOWED NO MERCY against Rex Putnam,
unloading shot after shot and scoring goal after
goal. Clockwise, at top: Torsenn Brown winds up
for a shot, Levi Glass is badgered by a Kingsmen
defender, and Jackson Lebsack fires a shot on net.
For the second year in a row, the HRV boys
lax team faced Rex Putnam in the opening
round of the Cascade Cup. And for the sec-
ond year in a row, the Eagles wiped the floor
with the Kingsmen, this time by a score of
18-3, to advance to the second round.
HRV had already faced Rex Putnam this
season, but the score was much tighter, 8-5,
after what coach Matt Luchsinger said was
an uncharacteristically “sloppy game” for
his squad. In this meeting, however, HRV
never let its opponent come close to jeopar-
dizing its victory.
“I thought we started off really well, we
came out firing, which is key,” Luchsinger
said. “Lots of times, we came out pretty flat-
footed and played down to certain teams’ lev-
els. Within five minutes (of this game), we
figured it out.”
In front of the home crowd at Henderson
Community Stadium, the boys lax team put
on a show, scoring nine unanswered goals
over the first two periods — a run that was
kicked off by attack Levi Glass with just over
seven minutes remaining in the first period.
The Eagles, who had dominated posses-
sion of the ball and dictated the pace of play
for the majority of the game, let the momen-
tum of the game tilt toward the Kingsmen in
the latter half of the second period, giving
up two goals in less than 90 seconds to put
the score at 9-2.
Luchsinger made an adjustment on de-
fense, switching from zone to man and
putting more pressure on the Kingsmen,
who were putting a fair amount of pressure
on the Eagles with some hard checking and
viciously contested ground balls.
“Personally, I felt like Rex Putnam was rid-
ing our backs pretty hard,” Luchsinger said.
“I think our guys did a really good job keep-
ing their heads. I preached really hard to our
guys this season that we don’t let guys get in
our heads. The way we get back at them is by
putting balls in the back of the net.”
The strategy seemed to work, with Rex
Putnam bottled up for the rest of the game,
with the exception of a goal that came in the
second minute of the third period. Besides
outscoring and outshooting their opponents,
the Eagles grabbed the vast majority of
ground balls and all but one of the face-offs.
The victory was “a team effort,” according
to Luchsinger, with seven members of the
Eagles roster scoring. Attack Torsenn Brown
led the way for HRV with five goals and an as-
sist and middie Jackson Lebsack led in as-
sists with three. Long stick middie Alex El-
lifritz led in ground balls with six, followed
by defenseman Kiefer Kreps, who had five.
Following up Brown in scoring were Levi
Glass (3), Bruce Ostler (3), Cody Wheat (3),
Elliot Cramer (2), Sam Newton (1), and
Hunter Klien (1). In net for HRV was Mikey
Hall, who had seven stops.
No. 3 HRV was scheduled to face fellow
Portland Leaguer, the Grant Generals,
ranked sixth in the Cascade Cup, on Friday
at 7 p.m. in Hood River (results not available
at press time). HRV played Grant once this
season, which resulted in a 10-5 victory at
home for the Eagles April 23.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Eagle youth soccer camp June 22-25
HR 7/8 girls lax headed to playoffs
The Hood River 7/8 girl’s lacrosse team — ranked No. 2 in the
state — are headed to the playoffs. They face Eastside Portland
in the quarterfinals May 30 at Westside Elementary at 9:45 a.m.
Semifinals will be either be held June 1 or 2. Pictured from left to
right, Front row: Eva Jones, Ariana Munoz, Jihan Ziada, Frances
Dickinson, Soleil Pelletier. Middle Row: Rebecca Kiyokawa, Bella
Read, Eleanor Barton, Frances Melby, Elena Kroll, Camille
Buschauer, Josephine Dickinson, Reed Bauer, Josie Peterson,
Sonja Clay, coach Al Barton. Back Row: Coach Margaret Koenig,
coach Bill Norris, Terra Mikkelsen, Payton Bunch, Nina Bockius,
Lily Simpson, Payton Kincaid, Katie Koenig, Alex Willis, Brooklyn
Holman, Emma Norris, Abby Bartles, Katie Lohr, coach Kateri Os-
borne Lohr.
free June 6-7 at the 26 parks that charge a day-use parking fee.
Campsite reservations may be made by calling 800-452-5687 be-
fore 5 p.m. June 5. Or, reserve online at
www.oregonstateparks.org. Of the 52 state park campgrounds,
40 take reservations. Visitors will also be able to fish, crab and
clam without a license June 6-7 for Oregon’s Free Fishing Week-
end, hosted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(ODFW). ODFW will provide the gear, bait and instructions at
some state parks, including Champoeg, Detroit Lake, Jessie Hon-
eyman and parks in the Columbia River Gorge. All events are list-
ed at dfw.state.or.us/education/angling/free_fishing. Parks
throughout the state will host activities including guided hikes,
open houses, tours, special barbecues and guest appearances by
J.R. Beaver, Oregon’s State Park mascot. For a complete list of
events, go to oregonstateparks.org and click on “Things to Do.”
Eagles boys and girls soccer coaches Jaime Rivera and Kevin
Haspela will be hosting a soccer camp for those in grades K-5
from June 22-25. The four-day camp lasts five hours a day and
will help kids learn the fundamentals of the game, increase their
understanding, establish practice routines, and encourage team-
work — along with playing fun and engaging games. All camp
participants will receive a free soccer ball. Students should bring
soccer shoes, athletic shorts and shirt, soccer ball, shin guards,
water bottle, a healthy lunch and snacks, sunscreen, and a posi-
tive attitude. All ability levels are welcome. The camp runs from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Westside Elementary. The cost is $100 (50
percent non-refundable) and $75 for students on free and re-
duced lunch, but no student will be turned away due to price (call
Rivera at 541-490-0699 to make arrangements). All proceeds
help fund HRV boys and girls soccer programs. Register online at Hole-in-one at Hood River Golf Course
www.hrcommunityed.org or in person at 1119 Eugene St., Hood
Devin Hobbs, of Hood River,
River, or call John Rust at 541-386-2055.
landed a hole-in-one on No. 3 at
the Hood River Golf Course, play-
Free camping, fishing next weekend
State parks throughout Oregon invite the public to camp and ing the blue tee box, (148 yards)
play for free the weekend of June 6-7 in celebration of State Parks using an 8 iron.
His witnesses were Dennis
Day and Free Fishing Weekend. Camping is free the night of June
Redmond
and Pete Talmage. Con-
6 in traditional sites—full hookup (sewer, electricity and water),
gratulations
to Devin Hobbs on
electrical hookup (electricity and water), and tent sites. Yurts, cab-
his
achievement!
ins and tepees are available at regular price. Parking will also be