Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2017)
SPORTS FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2017 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS 1B Bulldogs’ Hawkins resigns In the May 12, 2017, fi le pho- to, Hermiston coach Lance Hawkins talks with his players during a visit to the mound in a game at Pend- leton. After three seasons as varsity head coach and 18 with the program, Hawkins has resigned to spend more time with his family. HERMISTON Longtime coach ready to watch from stands By MATT ENTRUP East Oregonian Lance Hawkins has resigned after three seasons at the helm of Bulldogs baseball, Hermiston Athletic Director Larry Usher announced on Thursday. The Bulldogs made two 5A play-in round appearances under Hawkins, but missed the post- season in 2017 after going 10-15 and fi nishing last in the Columbia River Conference. But with just four seniors graduating, optimism is high going into the summer American Legion season that the team can begin to build what could be one of its best seasons in ages for 2018. That’s why Hawkins, 51, decided now would be the time to step away after 18 years in the program. “I think the program is probably in the best shape it has been in some time and I just wanted to leave on a pretty good note. Next year’s team is going to be pretty talented, and I just want to leave it in good shape for whoever steps in,” Hawkins said. “Lance has given 18 years of baseball to the Hermiston School District and we are very thankful for all the time and energy he has See HAWKINS/2B “I’ve been coaching here for 18 years and it was just time. Life is just happening, I’m going to be a grandpa in July.” Staff photo by E.J. Harris — Lance Hawkins, Longtime Hermiston baseball coach on retiring from the side- lines after years with the program and three as varsity head coach. College Softball College Baseball Ducks fall in World Series opener Oregon must win to stay alive By CLIFF BRUNT Associated Press Top-seeded Oregon State riding 16-game winning streak OKLAHOMA CITY — Washington appears to have Oregon’s number. Kirstyn Thomas’ two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning helped the Huskies defeat the Ducks 3-1 on Thursday in the Women’s College World Series. The Huskies have taken three of four from their Pac-12 rival this season, and this time, Washington they snapped Oregon’s 15-game win streak. Taran Alvelo (33-7) Oregon pitched a complete game for Wash- ington, which advanced to winners’ bracket play on Friday. It was Washington’s fi rst World Series win since 2013. “It’s tough to win that fi rst game, tough to play in this environment for a bunch of kids that haven’t done it before but have only dreamed about it their whole lives,” Washington coach Heather Tarr said. “But now it’s not a dream. It’s reality, and we’re ready for the next game.” Washington (49-12) scored By ANNE M. PETERSON Associated Press 3 1 See DUCKS/2B Bryan TerryThe Oklahoman via AP Washington’s Kirstyn Thomas (25) slides home to score past Oregon’s Gwen Svekis (21) during the third inning of an NCAA Women’s College World Series softball game Thursday in Oklahoma City. NBA Finals Durant leads Warriors to win Curry adds six 3-pointers By JANIE MCCAULEY Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant drove through the lane untouched for dazzling dunks time and again, fi nishing with 38 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in his fi rst NBA Finals for Golden State Beavers ready for a run Game 1 Cleveland Golden State 91 113 and leading the Warriors past LeBron James and the defending champion Cleve- land Cavaliers, 113-91 on Thursday night in Game 1. Stephen Curry scored 28 points with six 3-pointers and 10 assists as this sure-to-be thrilling trilogy began at last, a long-expected, spectacular grand fi nale envisioned ever since that July day Durant left Oklahoma City to join the loaded Warriors. James wound up with 28 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists a day after dealing with bigotry far away from basketball. Someone painted a racial slur — the N-word — on See NBA FINALS/2B Golden State Warriors guard Ste- phen Curry (30) and for- ward Kevin Durant react after scoring against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fi rst half of Game 1 of basketball’s NBA Finals Thursday in Oakland, Calif. AP Photo/Ben Margot CORVALLIS — None of the other teams in the Corvallis Regional have any illusions about the challenge they face: the Oregon State Beavers are the top-ranked team in the nation, the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, and they only lost four times during the season. “Everyone knows they’ve had a good year,” Holy Cross fi rst baseman Anthony Critelli said. “They’re solid and all. But we’re more focused on us and what we need to do.” Oregon State will host fourth-seeded Holy Cross on Friday night following a game between No. 2 Nebraska and No. 3 Yale in the double-elimi- nation bracket. It’s been a record-setting season for the Beavers, who at 49-4 have the fewest losses going into the postseason since Texas was 53-4 at the end of the regular season in 1982. Oregon State went 27-3 in Pac-12 play for the league title, surpassing Arizona State’s record of 26 league wins set in 1981. Along the way, coach Pat Casey surpassed the 1,000-win milestone. The Beavers are riding a 16-game winning streak into the postseason. “Our guys kept staying with it, the ball bounced our way, we got a lot of breaks. We stayed injury-free till the end,” Casey said. “We played consistent. I never thought we got too high or too low. We stayed pretty consistent.” See BEAVERS/2B Sports shorts Mr. Met fi red for obscene gesture NEW YORK (AP) — The ever-smiling Mr. Met mascot is back at Citi Field, a day after the person inside the big-headed costume was caught on video making an obscene gesture to a fan. The Mets said a different person was doing Mr. Met duty for Thursday’s game against Milwaukee. The mascot was at his spot before the game, posing for pictures, signing autographs and high-fi ving fans young and old. The Mets apologized after Wednesday night’s incident during a 7-1 loss to the Brewers, saying Mr. Met the offending employee won’t work in the costume again. Video of the mascot fl ipping his fi nger went viral. The team didn’t identify the employee who made the gesture. Mr. Mets has been around for more than fi ve decades, long popular with Mets fans for his oversized head with baseball seams. “I think what you saw the second half of the year before, I think he has the ability to be the best quarterback out there, doing his thing ... He has put together an extraordinary offseason. He is working in all areas of his game.“ — Pete Carroll Seattle Seahawks head coach on Russell Wilson as the quarterback looks to rebound from an average 2016 season and regain his form from 2015 when he looked like one of the top QBs in the NFL. BMCC baseball, softball players earn NWAC academic awards PENDLETON — The Northwest Athletic Conference handed out its Academic Excel- lence Award winners for spring sports on Thursday and a total of seven BMCC athletes were featured. Five baseball players, including Casey Higginbotham, Chase Labbe, Matthew Palmer, Jared Rogers and Rodney Scarver were selected. They led the 12-man sophomore class that put up a cumulative 3.0 GPA during the season. And on the softball diamond, Sarah Bonner and Allison Wedgworth were the two Timberwolves selected. To be eligible for the Academic Excel- lence award, athletes must be sophomores in their athletic eligibility and have earned a minimum of 36 credits with a minimum 3.25 GPA. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1935 — Baseball legend Babe Ruth, 40, announces his retirement as a player. 2010 — Armando Galar- raga of the Detroit Tigers loses his bid for a perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning on a call that fi rst base umpire Jim Joyce later admits he blew. First baseman Miguel Cabrera cleanly fi elds Jason Donald’s grounder to his right and makes an accurate throw to Galarraga covering the bag. The ball is there in time, and all of Comerica Park is ready to celebrate the 3-0 win over Cleveland, until Joyce emphatically signals safe. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com
