East Oregonian : E.O., May 24, 2017, Page 1B, Image 11

SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017
1B
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Prep Softball/Baseball
Defense key to Buckaroos’ success
Several local
teams poised for
deep playoff runs
By ERIC SINGER &
Matt ENTRUP
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — No stranger to
the OSAA softball postseason, the
Pendleton Buckaroos are poised for
another deep run in the 5A bracket
after drawing a No. 3 seed and
home game for today’s fi rst round.
The Bucks make their 12th
consecutive postseason appear-
ance, and of the last fi ve state
championships, Pendleton has
played in three, winning it all in
2012 and 2014.
One thing all of those Pendleton
teams over the years have been
able to point to as a reason for
their success has been defense and
pitching.
During
its
championship
seasons, the Bucks allowed just
six total runs in eight state playoff
games.
In reaching at least the state
semifi nals each of the last three
seasons Pendleton allowed just 19
total runs in 11 postseason games,
an average of 1.7 per game.
As impressive as those numbers
are over a short period, the 2017
Buckaroos have been playing
championship level defense all
season.
Behind junior starting pitcher
Lauren Richards, the Columbia
River Conference Pitcher of the
Year, Pendleton has allowed just
49 runs while going 23-4 for an
average of 1.8 per game.
Next closest in 5A is No. 2
Marist Catholic at 2.3.
Pendleton’s fi rst-round oppo-
nent is No. 14 Corvallis, the No.
6 team out of the Mid-Willamette
Conference with a record of 9-15.
The Spartans punched their fi nal-
bracket ticket with a 9-3 upset of
Thurston in the play-in round.
Pendleton’s allowed nine runs in
a game this season just once, a 9-8
loss to Hood River on April 22. In
the eight games since then they’ve
outscored opponents 74-11 while
going 7-1.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:30
p.m.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Standfi eld’s Dylan Grogan winds up
for a pitch during a game against
Westen-McEwen in Stanfi eld.
Staff photo by Eric Singer
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Hermiston’s Sam Atilano slides into home plate as Pendleton catcher Kila Solomon gets ready
to tag during a game on May 2.
No. 15 HERMISTON at No.
2 MARIST CATHOLIC — At
Eugene, the Hermiston softball
team fi nds itself back in the 5A
state tournament for the fi rst time
since 2013 when the Bulldogs were
state runners-up.
It’ll be a tough road for a cham-
pionship game return, though, as
the Bulldogs slot into the 2017
tournament as the No. 15 seed after
turning in a 10-16 overall record
and a 3-9 mark in the CRC.
Up fi rst for Hermiston is the
No. 2 seed Marist Catholic, which
comes in with the most potent
offense in the state. Led by reigning
Class 5A Player of the Year and
University of Oregon signee
Lauren Burke, the Spartans put up
311 runs this year for an average of
just over 13 per game.
The Spartans also allow an
average of just 2.3 runs per game,
which means Hermiston’s offense
will need contributions from every
spot in the lineup and will need to
fi nd ways to manufacture runs.
Hermiston will also need
another strong performance from
Weston-McEwen shortstop Char-
mayne Bennett reaches to haul in
a fl y ball during Saturday’s district
title game against Irrigon in Athena.
pitcher Julissa Almaguer, a fi rst-
team All-CRC selection who has
led the Bulldogs to big wins over
Hood River and Hillsboro over the
past three weeks.
First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at
Marist Catholic High School in
Eugene.
No. 2 PILOT ROCK/NIXY-
AAWII vs. No. 15 REGIS — At
Pilot Rock, the Rockets start their
road to a third straight state cham-
pionship on Wednesday when they
host the Regis Rams.
The No. 2 seed Rockets (22-5)
come into the state tournament
as winners of 10 of their last 11
games, though most recently fell
3-2 in nine innings to Union/Cove
in the Special District 6 title game.
But things have been trending
upward for Pilot Rock since
reigning 2A/1A Player of the Year
Bekah Roe returned to the lineup
after missing numerous games with
a concussion as the Rockets offense
is averaging more than 10 runs per
game over that 11-game stretch.
See PLAYOFFS/2B
MLB
Nationals crush four home runs in rout of Mariners
Offense stays quiet in
Seattle’s fourth straight loss
By IAN QUILLEN
Associated Press
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
Washington Nationals Bryce Harper (34) waves to the
crowd after hitting a home run during the fourth in-
ning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners
in Washington, Tuesday, May 23, 2017. Nationals Ryan
Zimmerman (11) waits on deck.
WASHINGTON — Joe Ross was at
his best on Tuesday night, when even
his worst might have done the job for
the Washington Nationals.
Ross (2-0) allowed one run over
a career high-tying eight innings in
his return from the minors, Anthony
Rendon homered twice and drove in
fi ve runs, and the Nationals completed a
10-1 rout over the Seattle Mariners.
“There’s really nothing more that you
can ask for as a starter,” said Ross, who
struggled in three April starts before
being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
on May 2. “It kind of just takes a good
amount of pressure off my shoulders.”
Seattle
Washington
1
10
Bryce Harper added his 14th homer
and Jayson Werth hit his seventh off
Chris Bergman (1-2), who allowed all
of the Nationals’ runs and 14 of their 15
hits.
He was chased following an eight-run
fourth, in which Rendon doubled before
hitting his second homer of the game
and seventh of the season.
“I don’t know,” Rendon said, trying
to explain the Nationals’ nine-hit,
11-batter inning. “I guess we were
swinging at good pitches.”
Ryan Zimmerman also had three
hits.
Ross was demoted following his last
two starts in April, in which he allowed
fi ve earned runs in each while failing to
complete fi ve innings.
This time, he looked more of the
2015-16 vintage that had pitched to
sub-4 ERAs in each season. He yielded
fi ve hits and a walk while striking out
six, and retired 12 straight batters after
a leadoff hit.
Ross fi nished by striking out the side
in the eighth, catching long reliever
Emilio Pagan looking on his 102nd
pitch.
Mike Zunino homered in sixth in his
return from his own minor league stint.
Robinson Cano went 0 for 3 in his
fi rst game back from the disabled list
following a thigh injury as Seattle
dropped its fourth straight.
“It was good to have Robby out
there,” Mariners manager Scott Servais
said. “I know he’s not at 100 percent and
trying to work his way through it, but
was good to have him out there tonight.”
Rendon’s second-inning homer
See MARINERS/2B
Sports shorts
Former Seahawks star found dead
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Hall of Fame
defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy has died in
Orlando.
Police say the 48-year-old former Seattle
Seahawks star was found dead on Tuesday
morning.
Orlando Police Department
public information offi cer Wanda
Miglio said the circumstances
surrounding his death are still
unknown, but that there is nothing
suspicious about his death.
One of the best defensive
Kennedy
lineman of his generation,
Kennedy was a star in his 11 seasons in the
NFL with the Seahawks. He became the second
Seattle player inducted into the Pro Football Hall
of Fame in 2012.
Kennedy was an eight-time Pro Bowler
and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year
award in 1992.
“I always planned all my
celebrations. Now I can go
a little overboard without
getting cussed out by the
head coach.“
— Emmanuel Sanders
Denver Broncos wide receiver in
response to Tuesday’s announcement
that the NFL owners voted to give
players more leeway to celebrate af-
ter a touchdown. Players will be able
to use the ball as a prop, celebrate in
groups and go to the ground as part
of their celebration without drawing
a penalty. Owners also shortened
overtime periods to 10 minutes.
Three local players selected
for Sweets Showcase
WALLA WALLA — Three locals have
been chosen for the Walla Walla Sweets
Showcase Game to take place at Borleske
Stadium on May 30.
Pendleton senior Wyatt
Morris, Pendleton junior
Daniel Naughton and Mac-Hi
junior Jesus Vela will play
for the high school all-stars
that will take on the Sweets in a controlled
scrimmage.
Proceeds from the event will benefi t
Walla Walla Valley youth baseball and
softball. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
The Sweets play a 59-game regular
season in the West Coast League, a
developmental summer league for colle-
giate players.
Opening night is June 2 against the
Wenatchee AppleSox.
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1935 — In the fi rst major
league night game, the Reds
beat the Philadelphia Phillies
2-1 before 25,000 fans in
Cincinnati.
1986 — The Montreal
Canadiens win their 23rd
Stanley Cup, beating Calgary
4-3 in fi ve games.
2009 — Brazil’s Helio
Castroneves becomes the
ninth driver to win the
Indianapolis 500 three times.
Castroneves pulls away over
the fi nal laps to beat Dan
Wheldon of England and
Danica Patrick, who eclipsed
her fourth-place fi nish as a
rookie in 2005 by crossing
the strip of bricks in third.
Contact us at 541-966-0838 or
sports@eastoregonian.com