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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2022)
E AST O REGONIAN Saturday, February 5, 2022 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS | FACEBOOK.COM/EOSPORTS B1 Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Hermiston’s Isaac Corey (0) is fouled while trying to shoot Jan. 29, 2022, during Hermiston’s 94-55 win over Southridge in Hermiston. Stanfield’s Mazie Reeser (5) leaps to rebound a ball during the second half Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Stanfield. The Tigers defeated the Enterprise Outlaws 40-31. SPORTS SHOTS Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Kathy Aney/East Oregonian Hermiston’s Adrianna Coleman (11) puts up a shot Jan. 29, 2022, during the second half of Hermiston’s 74-65 win over Southridge in Hermiston. Riverside’s Axel Gonzalez (40) puts up a shot during the first half Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, against the Stanfield Tigers in Stanfield. Riverside prevailed 47-43. Nixyaawii’s Dylan Abrahamson (1) shoots during a league game Jan. 28, 2022, against Griswold in Mission. Nixyaawii beat the Grizzlies 86-11. Timberwolves out to rebound after down season By JEFF BUDLONG For EO Media Group PeNdLetON — entering his ninth season leading the blue Mountain Community College baseball team, brad baker is eager to rid his squad of the bitter taste that last season’s pandemic-impacted campaign left. the timberwolves limped to a 4-24 record, struggling all around the diamond. “We played a ton of true fresh- men last year, while a lot of teams were playing third-year guys,” said Baker, whose squad was off to an above-.500 start two seasons ago before the pandemic shut down the season. “It was a weird year with COVId.” “Since I have been here, the team’s record has improved each year until last year,” baker said. “We are looking to bounce back this year.” baker returns 20 players with experience, and the timberwolves are buoyed by a fall ball perfor- mance that saw them go 3-2. add in some promising newcomers and there are expectations for improve- ment. “We have a decent amount of returners and some good leader- ship,” he said. “We don’t have a glar- ing weakness, which is good.” Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File Blue Mountain Community College’s Kaden Boyle (22) leans to catch a pass as Walla Walla’s Dalton Jones (8) slides safely into third base May 20, 2021. BMCC is looking to rebound in 2022 after a 2-24 record last year. baker was pleased with what he saw on the mound, an area that consistently hurt blue Mountain last season when it often fell behind early and struggled to rebound. Cooper Marshall, Jake allen and Jesse theriot will help front the rota- tion. theriot led the timberwolves in strikeouts during the fall. Offensively, Kaden boyle hit more than .500 during the fall and showed marked improvement while playing in the infield. Boyle hit .205 with four doubles a season ago. tommy Whiles brings a left- handed bat to the lineup and can play first base or in the outfield. He hit at better than a .300 clip during fall ball. What were growing pains a year ago have now transformed into improved leadership and camara- derie on the squad. baker said many of his players learned from their first-year struggles and worked to improve over the offseason. “they have stepped up and shown the new guys how things are done and worked to change the culture from last year to this year,” he said. the timberwolves were able to get through the fall season healthy, but COVId-19 has caused some issues since practice started in Janu- ary. Just as the team was rounding into form, baker missed a week of practice recently with his own COVId-19 battle. “It has been tough to get the whole team out there consistently,” baker said. the timberwolves open the season Feb. 25 and Feb. 26 with two home games against Clackamas. Blue Mountain will benefit from a favorable early-season schedule that sees it play 14 consecutive home games during the month of March. baker plans to use the last weeks of practice to get his team up to speed on situational baseball as well as adjusting to being outdoors as winter begins to ease its grip on the region. “We just need live at-bats and scrimmage opportunities will be very beneficial,” he said. Consistent improvement will be key this season as baker wants to see his team get better each week. blue Mountain has reached the play- offs just once in school history, but baker said that serves as motivation for his team as it looks to add to it. ON THE SLATE SATURDAY, FEB. 5 Prep girls basketball Burns at Riverside, 1:30 p.m. Joseph at Nixyaawii, 1:30 p.m. Echo at Bickleton, 2 p.m. Ione/Arlington at Spray/Mitchell/Wheeler, 2 p.m. Vale at Umatilla, 3 p.m. Hermiston at Walla Walla, 3 p.m. Nyssa at Irrigon, 3 p.m. Heppner at Union, 4 p.m. Griswold at Wallowa, 4 p.m. Pilot Rock at Stanfield, 4 p.m. Prep boys basketball Vale at Umatilla, 2:30 p.m. Burns at Riverside, 3 p.m. Echo at Bickleton, 3:30 p.m. Ione/Arlington at Spray/Mitchell/Wheeler, 3:30 p.m. Nyssa at Irrigon, 4:30 p.m. Joseph at Nixyaawii, 4:45 p.m. Hermiston at Walla Walla, 5 p.m. Heppner at Union, 5:30 p.m. Griswold at Wallowa, 5:30 p.m. Pilot Rock at Stanfield, 5:30 p.m. Prep boys wrestling Heppner, Pendleton, Echo/Stanfield, Irrigon, McLoughlin/Weston-McEwen, Pine Eagle, Riverside at Bank of Eastern Oregon Invita- tional, TBA Hermiston at 3A MCC Districts, TBA Prep girls wrestling Pendleton/Griswold/Nixyaawii, Irrigon, Echo/ Stanfield at Special District 4, West Albany High School, TBA College baseball Eastern Oregon at Linfield, 1 p.m. College women’s basketball Blue Mountain at Columbia Basin, 2 p.m. Eastern Oregon at Lewis-Clark State, 3 p.m. College men’s basketball Blue Mountain at Columbia Basin, 4 p.m. Eastern Oregon at Lewis-Clark State, 5 p.m. College women’s wrestling Eastern Oregon at Southern Oregon, 6 p.m. College men’s wrestling Eastern Oregon at Southern Oregon, 7 p.m. SUNDAY, FEB. 6 College baseball Eastern Oregon at Linfield, 1 p.m.