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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 29, 2015)
SPORTS FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015 Sports shorts 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS Prep Softball Tebow makes Philadelphia debut PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A slimmer Tim Tebow threw passes in shorts while a horde of reporters critiqued his mechanics and analyzed his arm motion. Welcome to Philly, Tim. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner spoke to a large gathering of media for WKH¿UVWWLPH7KXUVGD\VLQFH signing a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles last month. $IRUPHU¿UVWURXQGSLFN by Denver, Tebow is hoping to earn a roster spot on his fourth team after being out of the NFL for two years. Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez are the team’s two top quarterbacks, so Tebow will battle Matt Barkley for the No. 3 job. Flyg earns NAIA academic honor LA GRANDE — Former Hermiston and current Eastern Oregon softball player Gracie Flyg has been named to the 2015 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, the NAIA 1DWLRQDORI¿FH FACES announced. The honor is awarded to NAIA athletes who maintain a 3.5 GPA or better and have achieved junior Flyg academic standing. )O\JDMXQLRURXW¿HOGHU started all 45 games for the 0RXQWDLQHHUV6KH¿QLVKHG with a .299 batting average, scored 16 run and drove in 17 more. EOU completed their season last month. They were 18-27 on the season. Pendle- ton’s Dari- an Lindsey slides into third base as Liber- ty’s Chan- die Perez waits for the throw during the 2014 OSAA 5A softball state quar- terfi nals at Steve Cary Field in Pendleton. The Bucks won 4-1. EO fi le photo Familiarity adds intrigue in quarters Pendleton, Pilot Rock, Quarterfi nal softball schedule Weston-McEwen Class 5A: # 10 Liberty (16-11) at #2 Pendleton (20-7), 4:30 p.m. Class 4A: #10 Douglas (21-5) at #2 Mac-Hi (25-1), 4 p.m. have recent history Class 3A: #9 Echo (18-10) at #1 Dayton (24-5), 5 p.m. with opponents Class 2A/1A: #6 Knappa (24-3) at #3 Pilot Rock (23-2), 4 p.m. By MATT ENTRUP East Oregonian The Pendleton and Liberty softball teams have become regular playoff opponents in recent seasons, DQGPHHWIRUWKH¿IWKWLPHLQVHYHQ years when the No. 2 Buckaroos host the No. 10 Falcons today in the $TXDUWHU¿QDOV The teams split their previous four meetings, with Pendleton winning 4-1 in this round last year, Class 2A/1A: #5 Weston-McEwen (21-6) at #4 Bonanza (20-7), 2:30 p.m. and Liberty eliminating Pendleton LQWKH¿UVWURXQG This round also holds extra VLJQL¿FDQFHIRUWKH)DOFRQV ZKLFKKDYHORVWLQWKHTXDUWHU¿QDOV HDFKRIWKHODVW¿YHVHDVRQV If that streak is to end today, the Northwest Oregon Conference UXQQHUXS ZLOO KDYH WR ¿QG D ZD\ to cool the bats of a Pendleton team coming off a 14-3 run-rule win over Prep Baseball 6WDQ¿HOG3LORW5RFNIDFHRIIZLWKWRSVHHGV “They were surprised that I was not planning to (appeal), but the last thing I want is for people to think I am not taking responsibility for my actions.“ — Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury star player on the input of fellow WNBA players, who have been push- ing her to appeal the seven-game suspesion she was given by the league after she and partner Glory Johnson were arrested during a domesitc dispute at their home. Players feel the punishment is too harsh, and fear a precedent will be set should Griner not appeal. Johnson, who plays for the Tulsa Shock, does plan to appeal her suspension, also seven games. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1977 — A.J. Foyt EHFRPHV WKH ¿UVW GULYHU WR win four Indianapolis 500 races and Janet Guthrie EHFRPHV WKH ¿UVW ZRPDQ LQ the race. Guthrie is forced to drop out after 27 laps with mechanical problems. 2005 — Dan Wheldon wins the Indianapolis 500 when Danica Patrick’s electrifying run falls short. 3DWULFN LV WKH ¿UVW ZRPDQ to lead at Indy, getting out front three separate times for a total of 19 laps. But Wheldon passes her with seven of the 200 laps to go. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com Central in which they sent four home runs over the fence at Steve Cary Field. Pendleton (20-7) has averaged 10.9 runs a game during its current 14-game winning streak, and soph- omore Payton Hergert said hitting has been the team’s priority all season. “Every practice we stay and we hit until we literally can’t hit anymore,” she said after going yard twice against Central. Senior third baseman and CRC Player of the Year Darian Lindsey also hit two home runs for the Bucks, and said this year’s lineup has put together a much more even campaign than the title teams of 2012 and 2014. “Sometimes in the past years we would hit really good in the beginning and then we would die down a little bit before starting to go up again,” said the .583 hitter after going 3 for 3 with two walks DQG¿YHUXQVDJDLQVW&HQWUDO³7KLV season actually I haven’t really seen a dead point in any of the games. It’s been nice.” See SOFTBALL/2B Pendleton sticking around in Corvallis for another playoff game By ERIK SKOPIL East Oregonian 6WDQ¿HOG DQG 3LORW 5RFN EHWWHU EULQJ their slingshots to the diamonds this after- noon. After earning opening round wins Wednesday, the pair of No. 8 seeds will be tasked with taking down the giants of their FODVVL¿FDWLRQV Since a runner-up campaign a year ago, Cascade Christian has towered over Class 3A, holding an undefeated record DJDLQVW VFKRROV ZLWKLQ WKH FODVVL¿FDWLRQ The top-seeded Challengers (23-3) will provide the Tigers (20-7) with their biggest WHVW\HWWRGD\DWSPLQWKHTXDUWHU¿QDO round in Medford. “They have a lot of good athletes, a WUDGLWLRQULFKVFKRRODWKOHWLFDOO\´6WDQ¿HOG coach Bryan Johnson told The Hermiston Herald’s Sam Barbee after Wednesday’s 17-3 win over Pleasant Hill. “We’re gonna get the best of the best.” Cascade Christian has played in two of the past three state championships games, Staff photo by E.J. Harris Pilot Rock’s Jacob Pierce throws from the mound in the fi rst inning of the Rockets’ 7-4 win against Kenne- dy on Wednesday in Pilot Rock. ZLQQLQJWKHVFKRRO¶V¿UVWWLWOHLQ The weight of the Rockets (17-9) challenge may be even greater in the Class $$TXDUWHUV,IDWULSWRWKHVHPL¿QDOV are in the cards, Pilot Rock will have to take down the champs. Monroe (26-4) took last year’s title over Weston-McEwen 2-1 and carry a 24-game win streak into tonight’s 4:30 p.m. match with Pilot Rock. ³,W¶OO EH YHU\ GLI¿FXOW´ 3LORW 5RFN¶V Jacob Piece said of knocking off the Dragons, following the Rockets 7-4 win over Kennedy Wednesday. “We’ll have to bring our A-game, but if we play like we did today, I feel like we can get that win.” Monroe is fresh off of a 33-3 walloping of Gladstone Wednesday. It was the fourth time they’d surpassed the 20-run mark this season and the 20th time they’d broke double digits in a game. Zack Gwillim went 5-for-5 with three doubles and ¿YH 5%,V LQ WKH JDPH IRU WKH 'UDJRQV and Tielar Murray went 3-for-3 with a three-run home run and four RBIs overall. All-state pitcher Austin Crowson did not pitch in Wednesday’s game, meaning he’ll likely start Friday versus the Rockets. Mike Hiatt, who struggled Wednesday, will get the nod for Pilot Rock. 7KH 5RFNHWV HDUQHG WKHLU ¿UVW VWDWH See BASEBALL/2B Quarterfi nal baseball schedule Class 5A: # 14 Pendleton (13-14) at #6 Crescent Valley (20-8), 4:30 p.m. Class 3A: 6WDQ¿HOGDW&DVFDGH&KULVWLDQSP Class 2A/1A: #8 Pilot Rock (17-9) at #1 Monroe (26-4), 4:30 p.m. MLB Kluber strikes out 13 in Indians’ win over Mariners and two walks in his last four starts. Kluber (3-5) gave SEATTLE — Corey Kluber up a pair of home Cleveland struck out 13 in seven innings to runs to Mike Zunino win his third straight decision, in the third and Jason Kipnis continued his hot May Dustin Ackley in the with two hits and two RBIs, and the sixth, but Seattle was able to mount Cleveland Indians beat the Seattle little otherwise. Kluber earned his ¿UVWURDGYLFWRU\RIWKHVHDVRQ Mariners 5-3 on Thursday night. (LJKW RI WKH ¿QDO QLQH RXWV Cleveland won for the eighth time in 10 games, inching closer recorded by Kluber came via WR DIWHU VWUXJJOLQJ WKH ¿UVW strikeout. He threw 112 pitches, one six weeks of the season. Kluber, off his season high of 113 when he the reigning AL Cy Young winner, struck out 18 against St. Louis. Cody Allen pitched the ninth for improved to 3-0 with 50 strikeouts By TIM BOOTH Associated Press 5 his 10th save in 11 chances. James Paxton Seattle (3-3) gave up eight hits and three earned runs before leaving with two outs and a 3-0 count against Brandon Moss in WKH¿IWKGXHWRD¿QJHULQMXU\ Kipnis entered the night hitting .447 in May and added a pair of singles, along with an RBI groundout in the sixth inning after Jose Ramirez led off with a double. Moss also homered in the second inning off Paxton, his eighth of the 3 VHDVRQ ,W ZDV WKH ¿UVW KRPH UXQ allowed to a left-handed hitter in Paxton’s young career. Seattle looked lethargic coming off a nine-game road trip and the ORQJUHWXUQÀLJKWDIWHUFORVLQJRXWD series at Tampa Bay on Wednesday and it didn’t help that Paxton wasn’t sharp. After missing high with a 2-0 SLWFKWR0RVVLQWKH¿IWKPDQDJHU Lloyd McClendon and athletic trainer Rob Nodine went to the mound as Paxton shook his pitching hand. Paxton was pulled and Joe See MARINERS/2B
