A6 BAKER CITY HERALD • SATuRDAY, MAY 21, 2022
OREGON/SPORTS
Gym
BAKER BASEBALL
Continued from Page A1
Ian Crawford/Baker City Herald
Baker’s Jaxon Logsdon
rounds first base during
the Bulldogs’ double-
header sweep of Ontario
on Friday, April 15, 2022,
at the Sports Complex.
Bulldogs down
Madras, prepare
for play-in game
for the crash pads. The deco-
rated pads, ordered through
Sportsgraphics.com, will be
installed after paint cures.
In addition to the paint
and crash pads, workers will
clean the banners listing Baker
sports teams’ state champion-
ship and league title years.
The rest of the unused wall
space will be adorned with
high-resolution banners featur-
ing photos of Bulldog teams.
Flanagan said the banners
are “going to be much bigger,”
than those in place this past
season for volleyball and bas-
ketball teams.
The new paint is intended
to put focus on the vibrant
floor, and the floor itself is
pending a renovation, cur-
rently scheduled for summer
Ian Crawford/Baker City Herald
2023 while changes and de-
The north and south walls at the Baker High School gym are getting a new coat of paint with a new color
signs are considered.
scheme featuring black and purple.
Baker City Herald
Baker tuned up for the Class
4A baseball postseason by trav-
eling to John Day and beating
Madras 12-2 in a nonleague,
neutral site game on Wednes-
day, May 18.
The Bulldogs will play Es-
tacada in a play-in game on Sat-
urday, May 21, at 2 p.m. at the
Sports Complex.
On Wednesday at John Day,
Baker fell behind briefly, 1-0, af-
ter the White Buffalos scored a
run in the top of the third.
But Baker immediately re-
sponded with three runs in the
bottom of the inning to take a
lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Connor Chastain led off the
bottom of the third with a sin-
gle. Sage Joseph drew a walk
and Hayden Younger reached
on a bunt single, but Chastain
was thrown out at home trying
to score on the bunt.
Hudson Spike singled to
drive in Joseph with Baker’s first
run, and, after Younger scored
on an error, Logsdon doubled
to score Spike and boost Baker’s
lead to 3-1.
Baker added three more runs
in the fourth, with Younger do-
ing most of the damage with a
two-run double.
The Bulldogs, who improved
to 15-11 on the season, then
ended the game by 10-run rule
with six runs in the bottom of
the sixth. Cole Hester led off
with a walk and later scored on
Marco Rosales’ walk. Younger
Madras 0 0 1 0 1 0 — 2
Baker 0 0 3 3 0 6 — 12
Holcomb, Stout (3), Graeme
(3), White (4), Flu (5) and
White. Spike, Carter (3),
Chastain (5) and Logsdon.
had an RBI single, and Logsdon
completed the rout with a two-
run triple.
“The game started off a little
slow for both teams offensively
but we got it going in the third
inning,” Baker coach Tim Smith
said. “We took advantage of
baserunners by hitting them in
when the opportunity came up.”
Younger went 4 for 4 with
4 RBIs. Spike was 2 for 3 with
2 RBIs, and Logsdon was 2
for 4 with 3 RBIs. Hester and
Chastain had two hits each.
With the play-in game
looming, Smith distributed the
innings among three pitchers.
Spike started and was relieved
by Silas Carter in the third,
who gave way to Chastain in
the fifth.
The three pitchers scattered
seven hits.
“Our pitchers threw pretty
well and were kept at a low
pitch count due to our game on
Saturday,” Smith said. “Defen-
sively, we did not have an error
so that is always good. I feel like
we are in a good spot for the
game on Saturday against Es-
tacada. I like our momentum at
this point in the season.”
Kicker
programs such as state aid
to schools, other education,
human services and public
Continued from Page A5
safety. Total state spending
Budget reserves
includes other funds and fed-
“With recessionary risks
Oregon does have about
rising, a steep revenue de-
$5 billion stashed away in the eral grants, which are ear-
cline of the sort Oregon ex-
form of two reserve funds — marked for specific purposes.
Lawmakers did use $400
perienced during the tech-
one for education, the other
nology and housing busts in for general use — and ending million from the education
reserve to balance the 2019-
increasingly likely going for- balances. Only the full Leg-
21 budget. That was before
ward,” one of their slides said. islature can tap that money,
Oregon and other states re-
In the dot-com downturn and there are restrictions
in 2002 and the Great Re-
on how much can be drawn ceived federal aid from the
American Rescue Plan Act,
cession of 2007-10, Oregon’s from the reserve funds
which President Joe Biden
tax collections dropped by
during a budget cycle.
signed several weeks after he
as much as 20%. If another
The total amounts to just
took office in 2021. Oregon
downturn comes, McMullen under 20% of the general
state government received
said it probably would occur fund budget, which is the
most flexible spending for
$2.6 billion; lawmakers have
in 2023 or 2024, in the first
committed or spent all but
$452 million, which will help
balance the 2023-25 bud-
get they will approve a year
from now.
“Even with revenue
growth, it is still important
that we proceed with cau-
tion and plan for the future,”
Brown said in her statement.
“Strong leadership in Or-
egon has led the state to a
place where we have ample
reserves to help us weather
unprecedented times. We
need to continue that for-
ward-looking leadership as
we head into the next bud-
get cycle.”
Masks
“I think if people are re-
ally mindful about not send-
ing their kids to school if
they’re sick, that’s huge,” he
said.
Witty said schools have
plenty of home-testing kits
should students or staff re-
quest those.
The number of cases in
Baker County has risen
during May, but the rate re-
mains lower than during most
of the pandemic.
The Baker County Health
Department reported 13
cases during April, and 14
during March.
The total for May, through
the 17th, was 25 cases.
two years of the term of the
next governor.
schools in early March, prior
to spring break.
Continued from Page A1
Witty said the school district
“fully supports” students and
None of Oregon’s 36 coun- staff who have decided to con-
tinue wearing masks.
ties has reached that level
He said fewer than 2% have
during the recent rise in cases
chosen to do so.
caused by the omicron BA.2
According to data from
subvariant.
Six counties are in the me- the Oregon Health Author-
dium risk level, none in East- ity, pediatric COVID-19 cases
have been increasing since the
ern Oregon — Multnomah,
middle of March, similar to
Washington, Clackamas,
cases statewide.
Columbia, Benton and De-
Health officials have called it
schutes.
“a mild virus” in most cases.
Baker County and the
The Department of Edu-
state’s 29 other counties are all
cation advisory recommends
at low risk.
The Baker School Dis-
that schools monitor for high
trict made masks optional in absentee rates and notify their
local public health author-
ity if absences reach a certain
level, or if they see an “unusual
spread of disease.”
Witty said absentee rates in
Baker Schools have been low
since mid winter, when the
omicron surge peaked with re-
cord numbers of infections.
He credits parents for heed-
ing the district’s advice to keep
students home when they feel
ill — regardless of whether the
symptoms are consistent with
possible COVID-19 infection.
Witty said adherence to
that request has helped not
only with limiting the spread
of COVID-19, but with other
common illnesses.
Then
NOW
2022 Graduates
y
l
n
O
49
$
Includes full color. Three line maximum message.
WE SEE A ROAD
TRIP IN YOUR
FUTURE!
Jennifer Smith
Call or go online for an
appointment,
or drop in and see us!
High School Name
Congratulations Jen!
We are so proud of you!
Love, Mom & Dad
2x3 example size
Name of graduate:
School:
Message:
LEW BROS TIRE
(541) 523-3679
Call Julie 541-406-5275 or email
jferdig@bakercityherald.com
210 Bridge St., Baker City, OR 97814