THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019
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B1
Hermiston pitcher/catcher
Bailee Noland is the All-EO
Softball Player of the Year.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
All-around
all-star
Cary | Coach
Earls | P
Stallings | P
Solomon | C
Noland | UTL
Stefani | INF
Garton | INF
Mark | INF
Studer | INF
Reichert | OF
Maddox | OF
Atilano | OF
Bulldogs utility player Bailee Noland brought
versatility to the diamond this season
By BRETT KANE
East Oregonian
H
ERMISTON — Bailee
Noland is a girl of many
words, many talents,
and many goals.
She
recently
wrapped up her third
year on the Hermiston
Bulldogs softball team — the team’s debut
in the Washington’s Mid-Columbia Confer-
ence. And in that fi rst year, the HHS junior
was named to the MCC’s all-conference fi rst
team as a utility player. A pitcher, a catcher,
and a big hitter, she is also this year’s East
Oregonian Player of the Year.
“We did so much in one year,” Noland
said of her team. “Next year, I know we can
take it all the way. It’ll be really emotional.
We’re graduating seven players. It’ll be a
year to remember.”
Teammates Sydney Stefani, Grace
Studer, Daisy Maddox and Samantha Ati-
lano join Noland on the the fi rst team. Mac-
Hi’s Sydney Earls, Rikki Mark and Kiley
Reichert, Weston-McEwen’s McKenna
Stallings, and Pendleton’s Aspen Garton
and Kila Solomon also fi ll out the roster.
Pendleton softball head coach Tim Cary
was named Coach of the Year.
Although a championship was not in the
cards this year, the Bucks went 17-10 overall
and 9-6 for their Intermountain Conference
debut, placing third in the standings. They
dropped a 9-3 quarterfi nal game to West
Albany to end their season. The state title
would go the IMC’s own Ridgeview Ravens.
“We had a good year in a tough league,”
Cary said. “We came into the season with a
fairly young group of players in key spots.
They all stepped up to the occasion. The
success of our program came from having
all the right coaches in the right spots from
top to bottom. I’m very fortunate to have a
great community of people willing to com-
mit to Pendleton softball.”
Leading the pack
As a player who is well-versed in multiple
positions, Noland was 10-5 on the mound
with a 4.06 ERA. She boasted a 2-1 strike to
walk ratio, and collected 56 strikeouts over
88 innings on the season.
At the plate, she led the Bulldogs with 46
hits and a .575 average with 31 singles, fi ve
doubles, one triple, and nine home runs. She
scored 30 runs and drove in 35 more. She
struck out just nine times over 80 at-bats,
and on the fi eld, she only made two errors
over 27 games.
“Bailee is a rock star kid,” Hermiston
head coach Kate Greenough said. “She’s
very selfl ess. She always does what is best
for her team. She’s played a lot of big roles,
and isn’t afraid to take on new ones. Her atti-
tude is contagious. The team wants to play
good for her.”
After Southridge beat Hermiston 4-2 in
the District 8 championships, the Bulldogs
See Softball, Page B2
EAST OREGONIAN
SOFTBALL TEAM
Player of the Year: Bailee Noland, jr.,
Hermiston
Coach of the Year: Tim Cary, Pendleton
FIRST TEAM
Pitchers — Sydney Earls, sr., Mac-Hi; McK-
enna Stallings, jr., Weston-McEwen
Catcher — Kila Solomon, sr., Pendleton
Utility — Bailee Noland, jr., Hermiston
Infi elders — Sydney Stefani, sr.,
Hermiston; Aspen Garton, sr., Pendleton;
Rikki Mark, fr., Mac-Hi; Grace Studer, soph.,
Hermiston
Outfi elders — Kiley Reichert, jr., Mac-Hi;
Daisy Maddox, jr., Hermiston; Samantha
Atilano, jr., Hermiston
SECOND TEAM
Pitchers — Kendra Hart, jr., Stanfi eld/
Echo; Sauren Garton, fr., Pendleton
Catcher — Ally Marly, fr., Mac-Hi
Utility — Madison Shell, fr.,
Weston-McEwen
Infi elders — Courtney Cain, sr., Mac-Hi;
Kirah McGlothan, sr., Pendleton; Jordyn
Lambert, sr., Weston-McEwen;
Ashley Cameron, jr., Hermiston
Outfi elders — Amber Weems, soph., Stan-
fi eld/Echo; Makenna Collins, soph., Irrigon;
Elli Nirschl, sr., Pendleton