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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 22, 2017)
SPORTS THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS PENDLETON Blue Mountain hires new men’s basketball coach Centennial High’s Osa Esene takes over Timberwolves East Oregonian With the men’s basketball program in need of a fresh start, Blue Mountain Community College went west to fi nd its newest coach. The school announced on Wednesday that it hired Osadonor “Osa” Esene, the varsity boys basketball coach at Class 6A Centennial High School located in Gresham, to take over as men’s basketball coach for the Timberwolves. Esene fi lls the vacancy left by Gavin Burt who resigned in April after one season. At Centennial, Esene Esene took over a squad that went 7-17 in 2013-14 and turned them into one that went 40-38 overall and three playoff appearances. This past season, Esene’s Eagles went 16-10 overall and 7-7 in the Mt. Hood Conference, the school’s best fi nish since putting up 17 wins in 2008-09. “I’m looking forward to getting to know the guys and developing a rapport with the returning players,” Esene said in a press release. “This is my fi rst collegiate coaching experience, so I’m excited to recruit. I’m hoping my personal experience as a player will relate well with athletes.” Aside from his work at Centennial, Esene’s basketball roots run deep, most recently founding and operating Ball Out PDX, LLC, an AAU youth basketball program based in Portland, as well as coaching at the All in One Basketball academy in Portland. He played basketball collegiately at Grays Harbor College in Aber- deen, Washington, also an NWAC program, and then transferred to the University of Hawaii at Hilo where he earned Pac West Conference Player of the Year in 2004-2005 and Division II All-American honors. After college, he played profession- ally from 2004-2009 in Germany for the Ludenscheid Baskets. “Osa brings vast playing experi- ence to the program, and we all look forward to working with him in the Athletic Department,” BMCC Athletic Director Brett Bryan said in a press release. BMCC has compiled a 31-76 overall record and a 12-46 mark in the NWAC East Region over the past four seasons, including a 5-21 overall mark this past season. MLB Mariners rally late to defeat Tigers Detroit’s Verlander loses perfect game in sixth inning By JIM HOEHN Associated Press SEATTLE — Jarrod Dyson’s bunt single broke up Justin Verlander’s bid for a perfect game in the sixth inning Wednesday night and sparked the Seattle Detroit Mariners to a 7-5 comeback win over the Detroit Seattle Tigers. Nelson Cruz had three RBIs and Mitch Haniger homered as Seattle overcame a 4-0 defi cit with three runs in the sixth and four in the seventh. Verlander retired his fi rst 16 batters but didn’t make it through the sixth. With one out, the speedy Dyson gave the Mariners their fi rst base- runner, beating out a drag bunt between the mound and fi rst that Verlander was unable to reach. Mike Zunino walked and Jean Segura, just activated from the disabled list, 5 7 AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Cano hits a two-run double against the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 21, 2017, in Seattle. followed with a broken-bat single to load the bases. Ben Gamel lined a single to make it 4-1. Robinson Cano struck out looking, but Cruz followed with a two-run double to left fi eld, chasing Verlander after 110 pitches. MARINERS SHAKE UP ROSTER The Seattle Mariners have called up Andrew Moore, one of their top pitching prospects in the minors. Seattle made the surprising move Wednesday, selecting the 23-year-old right-hander from Triple-A Tacoma. Moore is scheduled to start Thursday at home against Detroit, Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “He’s been on our radar since day one, a high draft pick,” Servais said. “We really liked what we saw in spring training, so we’re going to give him a shot.” Christian Bergman, who has started eight games for Seattle due to injuries in the rotation, was optioned to Tacoma while right-hander Tyler Cloyd was designated for assignment. The Mariners also activated shortstop Jean Segura off the disabled list Wednesday and optioned infi elder Tyler Smith to Tacoma. Segura was in the lineup for Wednesday night’s game against Detroit, batting fi rst. Moore began the year at Double-A Arkansas. He quickly earned a promotion to Triple-A, and was 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA and 44 strikeouts in eight starts at Tacoma. Moore will slot into a Seattle rotation that is still in fl ux with Felix Hernandez returning Friday from the disabled list, Hisashi Iwaku- ma’s return from injury requiring at least one more rehab start and the continued struggles of veteran Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo, 3-7 with a 6.30 ERA in 14 starts this season, will move to the bullpen. Gallardo, has started 281 of his 284 major league appear- ances and has not pitched in relief since his rookie season in Milwaukee in 2007. Bergman was 4-4 with a 5.44 ERA in nine appear- ances for the Mariners. Track & Field Grunewald ready to race at nationals in middle of chemo US outdoor finals begin today By PAT GRAHAM Associated Press Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP, File In this May 8, 2017, fi le photo, Gabriele Grunewald trains at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. Grunewald is two weeks into chemotherapy to treat cancer that’s gone from her salivary gland to her liver. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Middle-distance runner Gabriele Grunewald has only missed one day of training since beginning chemo- therapy this month. At times, it’s left her extremely fatigued. Never has it zapped her competi- tiveness. Grunewald just wrapped up the fi rst round of treat- ment for cancer that’s spread from her salivary gland to her liver. It wasn’t about to keep her from taking the starting line for the 1,500 meters Thursday at the U.S. track and fi eld championships. Her expectations remain the same as ever — to be in the chase on the fi nal lap. “Though it would take quite an effort to make the fi nal, I don’t think it is impos- sible,” Grunewald said . “If I feel good, I hope to mix it up. There’s also a chance I feel lousy, in which case I hope I can just enjoy being out on the track as a competitor for a few minutes. Either way, I’ll be happy to be out there.” The 30-year-old Grunewald postponed chemotherapy a few weeks in order to go after the qual- ifying standard of 4 minutes, 9.50 seconds necessary for nationals. She fell just short, but was recently added when the fi eld didn’t fi ll up and her time was among the fastest. “My goal is to have a positive experience, overall, and celebrate the journey I’ve completed to get to the starting line,” said Grunewald, the 2014 U.S. indoor 3,000 champion, who lives in Minnesota. Grunewald was diagnosed in 2009 with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a form of cancer in her salivary gland. It spread to her liver last August and returned again this spring. She started chemotherapy June 6. This was a scheduled off week from her treatments, before the second round begins on June 27. “I wouldn’t say the training and racing in the midst of my treatment has been easy by any means, but I have defi nitely benefi ted from getting out the door every day and having races on my schedule,” Grunewald said. “Staying connected to the sport has been very important to me throughout this tough year of my life.” She’s partnering with USA Track and Field along See TRACK/2B Sports shorts Blackhawks’ Hossa to miss next season with skin disorder CHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa will miss the entire 2017-18 NHL season because of a progressive skin disorder. The team announced the news on Wednesday. The 38-year-old veteran says severe side effects associated with medication to treat the skin disorder has made playing hockey next season impossible. Hossa says he has privately been undergoing treatment for the Hossa last few years under the supervi- sion of Chicago’s medical staff. Dr. Michael Terry said the team strongly supports Hossa’s decision not to play and is the appropriate approach to “keep him functional and healthy in the short term and throughout his life.” Hossa, a 19-year veteran, has only missed 46 games over the past six seasons. He had 45 points last season. “I mentioned it and said I’d be willing to move over to third base to accommodate Matt, who’s been pretty spectacular for us ... We got to keep Matt’s bat in the lineup, and I’ll do anything to win.“ — Freddie Freeman Atlanta Braves All-Star fi rst base- man said he is willing to switch to third base when he returns from the disabled list. Atlanta traded for Matt Adams to fi ll in for Free- man, and Adams has hit .296 with 10 homers in 29 games. Fleury headlines Golden Knights’ expansion draft selections LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights fi nally have some players to put on the desert ice this fall. Stanley Cup-winning goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Marc Methot and Alexei Emelin, 30-goal scorer Jonathan Marchessault and veteran forwards David Perron and James Neal are among the veterans selected in the NHL expansion draft Wednesday night. Golden Knights owner Bill Fleury Foley and general manager George McPhee announced their choices during the NHL’s annual postseason awards show at T-Mobile Arena, where Vegas will begin play in the fall. The three-time Cup winner lost his starting job with the Penguins, but he’ll get to start over in the desert with two years on his contract. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1937 — Joe Louis knocks out Jim Braddock in the eighth round at Chicago’s Comiskey Park to win the world heavy- weight title, which he would hold for 11 years. 1994 — The Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, win their fi rst NBA title, beating New York 90-84 in Game 7 of the fi nals. Olajuwon gets 25 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. 2007 — For the fi rst time, Americans are taken with the top two picks in the NHL draft. Chicago selects Patrick Kane with the fi rst pick. Philadelphia then selects left wing James van Riemsdyk. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com
