A9
SPORTS
East Oregonian
SPORTS BRIEFING
Softball:
EOU track coaches
earn regional
recognition
Continued from Page A8
Wilsonville defeated
Lebanon 1-0 in the other
semifinal to advance. The
Wildcats have never won a
state title.
Top-ranked Pendleton
heads into the title game with
just two losses — to Wilson-
ville and Ridgeview.
“This is a group that has
a lot of grit and determina-
tion,” Cary said. “We have
found ways to win when
things are tight or we are
down a bit. That’s what it
takes to be a winner.”
Garton struck out the side
in the fi rst, second, third and
fi fth innings, striking out 19
on the day.
The Dragons’ lone hit
came in the top of the seventh
by Chloe Zajac, but she
would be left stranded when
Brook Dunkin struck out.
“Sauren did another
outstanding job,” Cary said.
“We feel confi dent if we put
three runs on the board she
won’t allow that many. She is
an incredible competitor. She
didn’t wear down and kept
her energy high the whole
game.”
The Bucks struggled a
bit against Morrison the fi rst
time through the lineup, but
in the fourth inning Pendle-
ton put its bats to work.
Garton led off the inning
with a double to center fi eld,
and Jaden Samp followed
with a walk. Garton stole
home, while Josie Jenness
hit a double to left fi eld that
sent Samp across the plate for
a 2-0 lead.
“Josie hit a blooper to left
and it dropped in,” Cary said.
“It was a timely hit at that.”
A single by Brie Youncs
sent Jenness home, and
Maddie Schumacher, the
courtesy runner for Youncs,
later scored on a wild pitch
for a 4-0 game.
The Bucks had four hits
on the day as Morrison
fi nished with eight strikeouts
and two walks.
“The Morrison girl is an
outstanding pitcher,” Cary
said. “We had a number of
Thursday, June 2, 2022
LA GRANDE — Near-
ing the conclusion of a
successful track and fi eld
season, Eastern Oregon
University head coach Ben
Welch and assistant coach
Connor Bracken both
earned regional awards for
their eff orts.
The U.S. Track & Field
and Cross Country Coaches
Association named Welch
the men’s West Region
Coach of the Year. Welch,
who has coached at East-
ern for more than 30 years,
guided the Mountaineers
to a Cascade Collegiate
Soccer:
Continued from Page A8
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Pendleton’s Sauren Garton winds up for a pitch during a
state semifi nal game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, against the Dal-
las Dragons at Steve Cary Field, Pendleton. The Bucks won
the game 4-0 and play Wilsonville in the fi nals June 4.
Pendleton’s Mad-
die Schumacher
slides into home
during a state
semifi nal game
Tuesday, May 31,
2022, against the
Dallas Dragons at
Steve Cary Field,
Pendleton. The
Bucks won 4-0
and face Wilson-
ville in the fi nals
June 4.
Kathy Aney/
East Oregonian
outstanding at-bats. Daisy
(Jenness) did not get a hit
today, but she (Morrison)
threw her a couple of dozen
pitches. Daisy kept fouling
them off and that helped the
batters after her. She wore
her down.”
The Bucks last won a title
in 2018, beating Putnam 7-0.
Pendleton also won the 5A
title in 2014 with a 2-1 win
over Putnam, and the 2012
title, beating Silverton 6-1.
Pendleton’s six seniors
will miss their graduation
ceremony Saturday, but Cary
said there will be a gradua-
tion of sorts at home plate
after the game.
Pasena-Littlesky also
helped lead her Three Rivers
Soccer Club team to the
Washington state title two
weeks ago with a 4-0 win
over the Washington Rush.
“ T he L ove rche ck s
(Reilly and Kelsey from
Pendleton) play on that team
too,” she said. “It helped
build a lot of new skills.
It’s a good team with good
communication. It’s a diff er-
ent environment. It prepared
me for this fall.”
The Blues play at the
NCAA Division III level
in the Northwest Confer-
ence. The women’s soccer
team fi nished 2-15-2 overall
last season, but that doesn’t
concern Pasena-Littlesky.
“That has been my call-
ing,” she said of playing on
teams that are in a rebuild-
ing mode. “Playing at PHS
and going to Hermiston, I
don’t care about rankings or
titles, I just want to play and
get in the box and protect my
team as much as I can when
the season comes.”
The Blue have three goal-
ies on their roster, but Pase-
na-Littlesky is willing to
battle for playing time.
Bracken
Welch
Conference Championship
earlier this month.
Eastern sent across the
men’s and women’s sides
to compete at the NAIA
Outdoor Championships,
which began May 25 and
concluded May 27, in Gulf
Shores, Alabama.
Bracken has coached
at Ea st e r n si nce t he
start of the 2018 season,
coaching sprints, hurdles
and multi-events.
“I did ask if I would get
to see playing time,” she
said. “It’s a great factor
to have those three keep-
ers. I have them to give me
those insights on soccer and
“THIS HAS
BEEN A
CRAZY, LONG
JOURNEY.
THROUGHOUT
MY SENIOR
YEAR, I TOLD
MYSELF I
DIDN’T WANT
TO RANK
SCHOOLS SO
I WOULDN’T
CREATE AN
EMOTIONAL
ATTACHMENT.”
Lindsey Pasena-Littlesky,
Hermiston senior
college. I am so ready for
this season.”
While Voiland has a
good stable of goalies, she’s
His role also includes
coordinating the strength
program for the team’s
athletes.
Bracken was named the
men’s West Region Assis-
tant Coach of the Year in
what is his fi rst full-time
season as an assistant coach.
It has been a productive
year for both Welch and
Bracken, who won the same
awards at the conclusion of
the indoor track season.
Welch also earned the
award last season in both
outdoor and indoor. The
Mountaineers men’s team
is coming off its second
consecutive conference title
in outdoor track.
— EO Media Group
impressed with what Pase-
na-Littlesky brings to the
pitch.
“I do have three goal-
keepers who will all be
juniors this fall, so they
have an edge when it comes
to college experience,”
Voiland said. “Lindsey is
coming off a fabulous high
school and club career. She is
a young goalkeeper with an
outstanding work ethic and
drive. I see Lindsey adding
to the competitive spirit of
our goalkeeper crew. I am
excited to see how Lindsey
grows, especially with addi-
tional specialized goalkeeper
training. She has all the tools
physically and mentally to be
an outstanding goalkeeper
here at Whitman.”
While Pasena-Littlesky
has committed to the soccer
team, she also enjoys basket-
ball, a sport she has played
since grade school.
“I will never forget my
senior basketball season,”
she said of the Bulldogs
making it to the 3A state
Elite 8. “The girls were so
cool. I have never had that
long of a season before. To
go to the Elite 8 was so cool.
We had good energy and we
built each other up. I remem-
ber getting to the Tacoma
Dome. It was insane, and the
student fans were awesome.”
Community
Memorial
Service
& BUTTERFLY RELEASE
To celebrate our loved ones
and how life is transformed.
BROUGH T TO YOU BY VANGE J OHN ME MO R IA L HOSPICE
Event Details:
n
Bring your family. Children welcome!
n
Please bring your own lawn chair(s)
n
Refreshments provided with additional
refreshments for purchase
n
Look for event table when you arrive.
Saturday, June 18, 2022
3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Victory Square Park
150 SW 10th Street | Hermiston, OR 97838
Entertainment by Brass Fire Band!
Each Attendee will receive
(while supplies last):
n
n
Origami Butterfly
For more information, call Carollyn Robinson,
BSN, RN at 541.667.3540.
Butterfly-Friendly Flower Seeds to Plant at Home
Butterfly Fact Sheet
For an additional fee, pre-registrants may receive
n
one live butterfly to release in honor of their loved one.
Please register at https://
communitymemorial.eventbrite.com
Want to make a donation to Hospice?
Visit www.gshealth.org/communitymemorial