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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 2016)
SPORTS FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 MILTON-FREEWATER Sports shorts Knicks hire Jeff Hornacek as coach NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have hired Jeff Hornacek, who emerged last month as Phil Jackson’s coaching choice. Jackson went with the former Phoenix Suns coach over anyone who had played or worked under him. The Knicks fi nished last year at 32-50 under interim coach Kurt Rambis. Jackson said in a statement Thursday that Hornacek has “tremendous basketball acumen and possesses strong leadership skills.” The two discussed the job in mid-May but took more than two weeks to complete a contract. The Knicks plan to introduce Hornacek, the 28th coach in franchise history, at a news conference Friday. 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS Pioneers not feeling pressure Sydney Richwine, of Mac- Hi, bunts the softball during Friday’s state playoff game against Douglas in Mil- ton-Free- water. Staff photo by Kathy Aney US cyclist drops out of Olympics citing Zika threat (AP) — American cyclist Tejay van Garderen has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Rio Olympics amid concerns that he may contract the Zika virus and it along FACES pass to his pregnant wife. He is believed to be the fi rst athlete to back out of the Summer Olympics van Garderen because of the mosquito-borne illness. Garderen, a member of the 2012 Olympic team, would have been a likely choice for one of the two U.S. spots. The 27-year-old Tour de France veteran is a strong time trial rider and his climbing ability would have been well-suited to the hilly course at the Rio Olympics. Van Garderen’s wife, Jessica, is due in October. Other athletes, including U.S. soccer star Hope Solo, have expressed concerns. “Not only is that something that is bad for our network partners, but for all of the fan research we have shows that the fans hate it. There may be a compromise in there where we can cut it down signifi cantly.” — Adam Silver NBA Commissioner speaking before Game of the NBA Finals on Thursday on his intent to try and eliminate or fi nd a way to fi x the Hack- a-Shaq strategy where teams intentionally foul poor free throw shooters. Silver was “on the fence” with the issue last year. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1932 — Lou Gehrig becomes the fi rst major league player to hit four consecutive home runs in a game. 1995 — Pedro Martinez of Montreal pitches nine perfect innings against San Diego before giving up a leadoff double to Bip Roberts in the 10th inning of the Expos’ 1-0 win. 2011 — Roger Federer ends Novak Djokovic’s perfect season and 43-match winning streak in the French Open semifi nals. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com Mac-Hi confi dent but relaxed in trek for third-straight state title By ERIC SINGER East Oregonian When softball practices kicked off on Feb. 29, the Mac-Hi Pioneers had one goal in mind: a state championship. After the hundreds of hours of practices, games, and individual workouts in the time since then, the Pioneers are just one game away from reaching that goal and capturing their third straight Class 4A state title. Achieving the three-peat would be a tremendous accomplish- ment for the school and for the community, as only three schools have reached that milestone in OSAA history. Churchill did so twice from 1980-1983 and 1985- 1987 when there were only two classifi cations, Crater repeated in Class 5A in 2007-2009 and Valley Catholic did so in Class 3A also in 2007-2009. 4A Softball Championship aren’t okay with just getting back we want However, as to take Banks down Mac-Hi prepared again.” for their fi nal day The title game of practice at Yantis #3 Banks #1 Mac-Hi Braves Pioneers will feature a repeat Park on Thursday, (22-3) (25-5) of the 2015 champi- it’s obvious the team onship game, as the does not feel much • Saturday, 1 p.m. No. 1 seed Pioneers internal or external • at OSU Softball Complex pressure as the game • Online: OSAA.org/radio-network will take on the No. 3 seed Banks Braves. approaches. Practice was just as loose and fun as it had The Pioneers took down the Braves been all year, with music blaring 4-0 in the title game last year, and and girls having fun which creates then defeated the Braves again in the relaxed atmosphere that has the 2016 non-league schedule in a 5-4 game on Apr. 2. been a key to the team’s success. Christian said that the famil- “When I see them goofi ng around and dancing around I know iarity with the Braves has helped they’re good to go,” Mac-Hi coach with preparation this week, but Nicole Christian said. “We know they know the Braves are a bit of it’s a big deal for the town and the a different team than the one they school but it’s never been a feeling saw in April. “I think any time you face a of we have to win this game. I think we’ve surprised a lot of people team you’ve seen before it helps, getting back but we defi nitely but it was only (Banks’) second game of the season and we had a few more games under our belt at the time,” Christian said. “But in the end we know them, they know us and it’s going to be a great battle on Saturday.” Christian said that Banks has shifted its pitching staff a bit since the two teams played, with freshmen Kaylin Hernandez and Michaela Shaw stepping in and carrying the load for the latter half of the season. The Pioneers haven’t changed much in their preparation for the Braves, other than a heavier dose of reps at the plate to make sure they are fully ready to go. “I think we’ve been consistent throughout the year (in our prepa- ration),” Christian said. “When we’re down to this game, there’s not much you can do other than fi ne tune stuff and have fun.” See PIONEERS/2B Warriors bench blows by Cavs in Game 1 NBA Finals By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry’s “Strength In Numbers” supporting cast made all the timely shots and all the differ- ence for the defending champions in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Draymond Green had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, Shaun Livingston scored a personal postseason best of 20 and Golden State’s bench came up big as the Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 on Thursday night to move three wins away from a repeat title. Golden State’s bench outscored the Cavs’ reserves 45-10 in the opener of this fi nals rematch. In a series with so much star power on both sides, this was a night for Livingston and fellow reserves Leandro Barbosa and Andre Iguodala. Barbosa returned from a minor back injury to shoot 5 for 5, while 2015 fi nals MVP Iguodala had 12 points, seven rebounds, six Ezra Shaw, Getty Images via AP, Pool Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) dunks against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fi rst half of Game 2 of basket- ball’s NBA Finals in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 2, 2016. assists and some stingy defense on James. James kicked off his sixth straight fi nals with 23 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, but cold-shooting Cleveland went 38.1 percent from the fl oor. Kyrie Irving, lost to a knee injury in Game 1 last year, scored 26 points, 11 on free throws. Kerr stuck with regular starter Harrison Barnes, and he delivered 13 points. Curry had 11 points, six assists and fi ve rebounds, while Thompson scored nine points. Cleveland Golden State 89 104 Iguodala had moved back into the starting lineup Monday for the Game 7 clincher against Okla- homa City with a primary duty of defending Kevin Durant, shining in that role, and again came off the bench to play 36 minutes Thursday. Cleveland emerged from halftime with a newfound energy, zipping passes every which way, going hard to the basket whenever possible and swarming Curry and the others on the defensive end to create turnovers and poor decisions. Kevin Love’s basket with 3:57 left in the third put the Cavs ahead before Green’s dunk moments later. Love made an impressive fi nals debut with 17 points and 13 rebounds after missing last year’s run with a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. Mariners stun Padres with come-from-behind win By BERNIE WILSON AP Sports Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kyle Seager, Dae-Ho Lee and the Seattle Mariners scored 14 times in two innings to erase a 10-run defi cit and stun San Diego 16-13 Thursday night, the latest pratfall for a Padres team that was ripped in a radio interview by its executive chairman a day earlier. Trailing 12-2 after fi ve, the Mariners benefi ted from a bullpen meltdown by the Padres. Seager hit a bases-loaded, two-run single with one out in the sixth to chase starter Colin Rea, followed by Lee’s impressive, Mariners a 13-12 MLB pinch-hit, three-run lead. homer off Brad Hand Norichika Aoki that landed in the added an RBI single Seattle San Diego and Franklin Guti- second balcony of the Western Metal errez had a two-run Supply Co. Building single to make it in the left-fi eld corner. 16-12. Aoki had two The Mariners then sent 13 hits and scored twice in the inning. batters to the plate in their nine-run Hand and fellow relievers Ryan seventh, getting seven straight hits Buchter, Brandon Maurer and Matt with two outs. Seager once again Thornton combined to allow 10 had a big hit, a two-run single runs on nine hits in 1 2/3 innings. followed by an RBI single by Lee, Maurer (0-2) gave up three runs who stayed in the game at fi rst while failing to get an out in the base. Pinch-hitter Stefen Romero seventh. singled in the tying run, and Shawn Cody Martin (1-0), called up O’Malley’s RBI single gave the earlier in the day from Triple-A 16 13 Tacoma, pitched the sixth for the victory. Steve Cishek worked a scoreless ninth for his 13th save in 16 appearances. The Padres sent 13 batters to the plate in the fi fth, scoring seven runs on seven hits, two walks, a hit batsman and a balk by Miley. Myers and Upton each had a two-run single. Jay and Alexei Ramirez each had an RBI single. Nelson Cruz hit a solo homer to right-center estimated at 445 feet with one out in the fourth, his 11th. Lee, pinch-hitting for Adam Lind in the sixth, pulled the Mari- ners to 12-7 with his three-run homer.