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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 2018)
SPORTS THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS T-Wolves showing growth Prep roundup BMCC splits doubleheader with region- leading Spokane By ERIC SINGER East Oregonian Photo by Ronald Bond/La Grande Observer P ENDLETON — Five seasons ago, the Blue Mountain Community College baseball program hit rock bottom. The Timberwolves slumped through a 2013 season that ended with a 3-41 overall record and a 1-27 mark in the NWAC East Region, which was the fewest wins in a season in program history. However, since that low point, things have slowly turned around for the Timberwolves. They doubled their win total to six in 2014, jumped to 15 wins in 2015 and just last year the Timber- wolves won 19 games overall and 10 regional games — their most since 2009. This season is shaping up to be an even better one for the program. After splitting a doubleheader with Commu- nity Colleges of Spokane on Wednesday afternoon, BMCC sits above .500 on the season with a 14-12 overall record and are tied for fourth in the NWAC East with a 3-3 mark. Through six games of regional play, the Timber- wolves have wins over Yakima Valley (23-5 overall, 5-1) and Spokane (18-6, 5-1) — the top two teams in the region and two of the best in the entire conference. “We’ve got a real competitive group,” BMCC head coach Brad Baker said following Wednesday’s games. “This is probably the best team I’ve had since I’ve been here and we’ve kept getting better every single year. This year we have a lot of guys that are good players, Pendleton’s Lauren Richards fires a pitch during the Buckaroos’ 7-0 win over La Grande on Wednesday after- noon in La Grande. Buckaroos shut out the Tigers Richards one out away from perfect game East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris LA GRANDE — After a week off, the Pendleton Buckaroos got back into game action on Wednesday afternoon with a road trip to La Grande where the Buckaroos shut out the home Tigers for a 7-0 victory. The Buckaroos (9-1) were led by senior pitcher Lauren Richards, who came one out away from a perfect game before La Grande’s Jacie Howton smacked a double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Richards finished with eight strike- outs and Buckaroos’ coach Tim Cary said she was “oustanding and had command of all of her pitches.” Alexi Brehaut gave Pendleton the lead in the third inning with a three-run home run and finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate. Kalan McGlothan was 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and had three RBI overall. Aspen Garton and Carissa Cooley each added a double for the Bucks. “Very nice job with all of our at-bats tonight,” Cary said. “I think everybody came up with a good approach, we worked the count in our favor time and time again BMCC pitcher Tyler Poe throws from the mound in the Timberwolves’ 10-4 loss to the Community Colleges of Spokane in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday in Pendleton. See BMCC/3B See ROUNDUP/3B Sandoval hits 3-run homer, Giants rout King Felix, Mariners By JANIE MCCAULEY Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Pablo Sandoval’s role with the Giants is much different now. “A guy who’s going to be an important pinch hitter for us,” manager Bruce Bochy said, praising the Panda’s efforts to stay ready at all times. That didn’t keep Sandoval from calling his shot during a pregame chat with teammate Andrew McCutchen. Sandoval splashed a three-run homer into McCovey Cove while making a rare start, Johnny Cueto earned his first win of the season and San Francisco jumped all over Seattle ace Felix Hernandez in a 10-1 rout of the Mariners on Wednesday. “It’s one of those days you came to the park and felt great,” Sandoval said. “One of those days you feel something is going to UP NEXT Seattle Minnesota Mariners Twins (3-2) (3-2) • Today, 1:10 p.m. • at Minnesota TV: RTNW happen.” Brandon Belt, Brandon Craw- ford and Gorkys Hernandez also homered as the Giants got their bats going at last to back Cueto (1-0). San Francisco rebounded quickly after losing its home opener a day earlier. Sandoval drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Giants ahead against Hernandez (1-1) in the first, when they also scored runs on a wild pitch and Crawford’s sacrifice fly. Gorkys Hernandez connected leading off the second. He was a last-minute lineup replacement AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez San Francisco Giants’ Pablo Sandoval hits a three-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of Wednes- day’s game in San Francisco. for injured Hunter Pence, Hernandez playing center and Gregor Blanco shifting center to Pence’s spot in with field from left. Hernandez had a career-high 310 at-bats last season but failed to clear the fences. “Last year I had nothing,” he said. “So now I have one.” Belt started the fifth with a drive to left. Sandoval’s drive into the water three batters later chased Felix Hernandez, and Crawford followed with his first homer. Sandoval, the 2012 World Series MVP, got a start at third base in place of Evan Longoria to get some at-bats. His eight career splash-hit homers are second-most in ballpark history behind 35 by home run king Barry Bonds. It was the first time the Giants hit three homers in one inning since June 2, 2016, at Atlanta — also in the fifth. They last did it at home on May 7, 2007, in the fifth inning as well, against the Mets. Belt added an RBI single in the seventh. Ichiro Suzuki started in left field for Seattle and went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. It marked Suzu- ki’s first appearance playing in See MARINERS/2B Sports shorts THIS DATE IN SPORTS First Round THURSDAY Noon - 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN Second Round FRIDAY Noon - 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN Third Round SATUDAY Noon - 4 p.m. TV: CBS Fourth Round SUNDAY 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. TV: CBS Augusta National to host women’s amateur tourney A UGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Augusta National went nearly 80 years before having female members. Now the club is inviting its first female competitors. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur begins next year, a 54-hole event for top amateurs from around the world who will become the first women to play a tournament at the home of the Masters. Fred Ridley, who took over as club chairman in October, said the new tournament will expand Augusta National’s goal to inspire young people, following in the footprint of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, the Latin America Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt competition for children. He said the Augusta National Women’s Amateur was for a “segment of our sport that is ... vital to the future of golf.” 1967 — Wilt Chamberlain sets an NBA record with 41 rebounds to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 115-104 victory over the Boston Celtics and a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Division playoffs. 1972 — For the first time in history, major league baseball fails to open because of a general player strike, which started April 1 and would be settled April 13. 1993 — Donald Williams scores 25 points to lead North Carolina to a 77-71 win over Michigan in the NCAA championship. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com