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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 2022)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 27, 2022 -- ELEVEN Mustangs compete in three pivotal league games Golf competes in competitive tournament and softball grabs big wins staff struck out 12 batters in the game. The second game Weston-McEwen was able to control the game from the first pitch, the Ti- gerScots scored eight runs in just the second inning of play. Karver Wilkins would attempt to spark the Mustangs offense when he got a hold of one and sent it right over the right field wall, making it 8-1. Weston would respond with another run in the same inning and followed up with three more runs in the next frame to sweep the doubleheader 12-1. Heppner’s bat power is looking impressive as they have hit two home runs in Heppner in three games. Both the baseball and softball teams would take the road trip down to Baker for two single game com- petitions with the Baker/ Powder Valley co-op teams. This non-league game was a bit of a revenge game for both teams as the Bulldogs took all four games earlier in the year. The Mustang softball team showed massive im- provement as they compet- ed with the Baker/Powder Valley team who dominated in a 16-0 win the last time the two teams faced off. Heppner kept it close but came up short in a 5-0 Above: Heppner infielders Cameron Proudfoot, Karver Wilkins, Caden George, Carson Eyenetich, Jake Lentz and Toby Nation meet on the mound. Right: Toby Nation pitching in game one vs Weston-McE- wen this past Saturday. -Photos by Susan Hisler By Blake Carter Both the Mustang baseball and softball teams hosted a game this past Tuesday. The Lady Mus- tangs competed in a non- league matchup while the baseball team took on Pilot Rock in a big league game. Heppner golf would head to Union for a big 110 play- er tournament, while the baseball team would host another big doubleheader with Weston-McEwen. The softball and baseball teams rounded out the week in Baker for tough non-league games. Heppner baseball is looking to continue their hot league stretch. The Mustangs previously beat the Rockets in their last league game 15-3. Heppner has continued to rise in the OSAA rankings as they have moved into the top five. With a spotless 6-0 league record Heppner got hot late and delivered a 12-2 run rule win behind a walk off home run from senior Toby Nation. Home runs are hard to come by in Hep- pner, with the constantly changing weather, it takes quite the hit to power one out. Nation did just that in the bottom of the fifth with a couple runners on base. But before they got to that point, Heppner had some work to do. The Mustangs faced an early 1-0 deficit after a passed ball allowed the runner to come home. The Mustangs returned the favor as Carson Eyene- tich stole home to tie the ballgame. A self-inflicted wound in the third inning allowed another Rocket run to cross the plate and grab a 2-1 lead. Once again Heppner would answer, as Pilot Rock now committed an error to allow Cameron Proudfoot to score. The Mustangs took off at this point as they scored five runs in the fourth inning. Nation’s ground ball caused trouble for the Rocket de- fense as Caden George, and Kason Cimmiyotti came around to score and make it 4-2 Heppner. Eyenetich then stepped up to the plate and brought home pinch runner Brock Hisler and defeat. The baseball team was able to spark their offense, but they too came up short in a 11-8 loss. A double in the bottom of the first would score a Bulldog runner to give Baker a 1-0 lead. In the second inning two walks and an error allowed Baker to load the bases with one out. A single to left field scored two more for Baker as the 3-0 lead was built. Another single lead to a 4-0 deficit after two innings. Heppner had two runners on base after a couple singles, with two outs. Toby Nation would send a rocket over the left field wall to score three runs and bring the lead down to 4-3. Two singles and an er- ror allowed Baker to score once again, after a passed ball let another run score, Baker used another single to make the lead 7-3. Two quiet innings led to an ex- plosive sixth inning. Hep- pner took their shot at the plate and loaded the bases with a walk, single, and hit by pitch. Carson Eyenetich ripped a double to the right fielder to score Cameron Proudfoot and Nation. After two strikeouts, Heppner used another walk to load up the bases again. Caden George would clear the bases on a double to right field as Karver Wilkins, Eyenetich, and Ryan Lind- say all scored. Heppner had their first lead of the game 8-7. Baker would fire right back in the bottom of the frame, using a sacrifice fly to score a runner and tie the game at eight. An error quickly dissipated the short Heppner lead as Baker took a 9-8 lead. A triple would score two more for Baker as the lead quickly became 11-8. Baker would close the game out and take the win. Heppner suffered self-in- flicted wounds as six errors, and nine strikeouts proved to be the deciding factor. For the baseball team the road doesn’t get any easier, the Mustangs will be on the road at the power- house Dufur/South Wasco baseball team. The Rangers sit at number five with a single loss on the year to the second ranked Kenne- dy Trojans. The Mustang softball team will also be on the road in Pilot Rock on Thursday for a pair of big league games. The golf team will be back at it in Echo on Saturday. Heppner will have one more tour- nament before heading to Pendleton for their district golf tournament on May 9 and 10. Bank of Eastern Oregon announces 2022 academic scholarships Karver Wilkins. Eyenetich came around to score off a couple stolen bases and an error to push Heppner out to a 7–2 lead. The next inning Heppner used back-to-back doubles from George and Cimmiyotti to increase the Heppner lead to 9-2. Proud- foot would walk in the next at bat before Nation came up and sealed the Rockets fate with a three-run shot over the scoreboard in left field. Coming off two big wins on Monday Heppner softball battled with Irrigon, a team that they too had pre- viously beat earlier in the season. Heppner won 23-9 and looked to mirror the same result in a non-league matchup. Only four batters came to the plate before the rain forced the two teams to cancel the contest. The two teams will face off on May 2nd at 4 P.M in Heppner. Saturday was a huge doubleheader for the Mus- tangs as they took on an undefeated Tiger Scot team who just missed the state tournament last season. The Tiger Scots were one spot out in the league, be- hind the Mustangs who would go on to finish third. Weston-McEwen came to Heppner looking to prove the state wrong and get back at Heppner. It wasn’t an easy road for the Mustangs, Heppner was without two starting outfielders, and lost another player due to injury. Heppner would hope to rely on some guys to step up in two big league games. Un- fortunately, Heppner fell in two run rule losses. Weston grabbed an early one run lead in the first inning. Weston-McEwen added to it in the third inning with ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. a couple more runs on a passed ball and a fielder’s choice. Heppner trailed 3-0 headed into the sixth inning where the TigerScots began to see pitches well and scored eight runs in the inning, another shutout inning gave Weston the win, 11-0 in six innings. The TigerScots pitching Bank of Eastern Oregon has selected its 2022 high school senior scholarship recipients. This scholarship is awarded to students plan- ning to enroll in agriculture or business in college and judging is based on schol- arship, leadership and cit- izenship. Applications are accepted from graduating seniors in the areas where Bank of Eastern Oregon and Bank of Eastern Wash- ington branches and loan offices are located. Scholarships in the amount of $500 were awarded to Oregon se- niors Allie Marker and Cali Johnson, Sherman County High School, Faith McCa- rty and Javon Curiel, Echo High School, Grace Ogden, Haylie Peterson and Taylor Rollins, Ione High School, Grace Taylor, Justin Hodge, Riley Robertson, and Sam McCracken, Grant Union High School, Hailey Cun- ningham and Harley Ann Anderson, Heppner High School, Kailee Mansveld and Maggie Jo Frisch, Cove High School, Kendra Coun- sell, Imbler High School, Madaline White, Pendle- ton High School, Madison Whitmore, Dayville High School, Makaila Lantis, Riverside High School, and Peter McBride, Vale High School. Additional $500 schol- arships were awarded to Washington seniors Tan- ner Taylor, LaCrosse High School and Brenda Moji- ca, Pasco-Chiawana High School. “We wish these seniors the best of luck as they move on to college and look forward to hearing of their continuing success in agriculture or business,” said Bank of Eastern Or- egon President and CEO Jeff Bailey. Ione MS track has good first showing Four members of the Ione MS track team had a good first showing at their first ever meet this past week in Sherman County. “We are few but mighty,” said MS track coach, Mad- ison Rietmann. “These kids are working hard at practice and are excited to be better each meet.” Each student compet- ing earned a top 10 spot in their respective events with a first place discus placing by 6 th grader, Gage Heideman. The group will practice all week and compete in Arlington on Friday. Pictured (L-R): Leonardo Cambero (7 th ), Gage Heideman (6 th ), Haryss Padberg (5 th ) and Trae McAhren (6 th ) Above: Ione 7 th grader, Leonard Cambero, gears up for the men’s 400 meter dash at the Sherman County middle school track meet. Right: Ione 5 th grader, Haryss Padberg, competes in the long jump at the middle school track meet in Sherman County.
