SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Mustangs split with Bobcats on senior day
Alakae Rodriguez rounding
third. -Photo by Brian Bunch
Ryan Haugen makes the
catch for Out #3. -Photo by
Brian Bunch
Ryan Haugen and Jace Wilson catch a Bobcat in a pickle.
-Photo by Brian Bunch
Baseball seniors and their families (L-R): Renee Wilkins,
senior Karver Wilkins, Tim Wilkins, Tony Greenup, se-
nior Shad Greenup, Michelle Greenup, Eric Orem, senior
Mason Orem and Brandi Orem. -Photo by Brian Bunch
By Brian Bunch
Friday, May 9, the
Heppner/Ione Mustangs
(9-4 League, 13-6 Overall)
hosted the Union/Cove
Bobcats (9-4, 15-4) for a
doubleheader. This being
the Mustangs’ last home
game on the schedule, they
took a minute to honor the
graduating seniors on the
baseball team as well as
the graduating seniors from
the golf team. Each senior
presented their family with
a rose and stood with them
for recognition and photos.
The seniors honored
from the baseball team
were: Mason Orem, Shad
Greenup and Karver
Wilkins.
It was another beautiful
day for baseball in Hep-
pner with a temperature
around 70 degrees for the
pre-game ceremonies, with
just enough breeze coming
in from the outfield to feel
good.
Game 1
Game 1 was a pitcher’s
duel, with the Mustangs’
Ryan Haugen coming out
on top, pitching 7.0 shutout
innings, allowing four hits
and one walk while serving
up five strikeouts. Senior
Karver Wilkins, playing
first base, led a strong de-
fense, which allowed R.
Haugen to work in the zone
at a 3:1 strike-to-ball ratio
to induce crowd-wowing
outs by the defense. Wilkins
went 8-8 fielding with eight
putouts.
On the losing end of
the duel was Bobcat pitcher
Nolan Needham, pitching
6.0 innings and allowing
two runs (one earned) on
only three hits, with four
walks and seven strikeouts.
The Bobcat defense was
strong behind Needham,
committing only one error.
The Mustangs as a
whole were struggling at
the plate, but smart base
running would help. Alakae
Rodriguez got the first hit
of the game, a double, to
lead off the second inning.
Senior Center Fielder Ma-
son Orem worked a walk,
and with some timely base
running by Rodriguez and
Orem, R. Haugen found
himself at the plate with a
full count and two runners
in scoring position. He
ripped a sacrificial fly-ball
to right field to bring in Ro-
driguez, and a Bobcat error
allowed Orem to follow.
Jace Wilson hit a single
in the bottom of the third to
give the Mustangs a one-
out base runner, but he was
stranded there with two
quick outs by the Bobcat
defense. Senior Outfielder
Shad Greenup gave the
Mustangs another lead-off
runner in the fifth with a
hard-hit fly ball to left field
for a double, but that would
be the last hit of the game
for the Mustangs.
Game 2
The Mustang offense
continued to struggle in
Game 2, but this time the
pitching struggled with
them. Rodriguez got the
start on the mound and gave
up two earned runs on four
hits in the first inning. Ca-
leb George took the mound
in the second inning with
hopes of keeping the game
within reach but was pulled
after putting two free run-
ners on and allowing a run
on a wild pitch with no outs
in the top of the fourth.
George pitched 2.0 in-
nings, allowing five earned
runs on four hits and took
the loss before being re-
placed by Caylan Proud-
foot, who threw 4.0 shutout
innings, giving up four hits
and earning one strikeout.
Once again, R. Hau-
gen found himself alone in
the RBI column in Game
2 when he batted in Ro-
driguez on another sacri-
fice fly—this time to left
field—to score the Mus-
tangs’ first run of the game
in the bottom of the second
inning. He later added an
RBI single in the bottom of
the fourth, where Rodriguez
scored again.
You start to notice a
trend here: if Rodriguez is
on base and R. Haugen is at
the plate, there will proba-
bly be a run scored. Un-
fortunately, those were the
only two runs for the Mus-
tangs, as those two players
were the only Mustangs to
tally a hit in the game—un-
til Jace Wilson attempted
to start a 2-out rally in the
bottom of the seventh with
a line-drive single to right
field for the Mustangs’ third
and final hit.
A 2-0 shutout win in the
first game and a 2-7 loss in
the second game leaves the
Mustangs tied for second
in 2A/1A-SD7 with Union/
Cove at 9-4, each team with
three league games left in
the regular season.
Mustangs Hold Off
Late Prospector Rally
By the way, did I men-
tion there’s a third team
tied for second at 9-4 in
2A/1A-SD7 league play?
On Tuesday, May 6, the
Heppner/Ione Mustangs
(9-4 league, 13-6 overall)
hosted the Grant Union/
Prairie City/Monument
Prospectors (9-4, 10-11) for
the first game of a home-
and-home, mid-week series
between the two rivals that
was concluded on Tuesday,
May 13, at Grant Union
High School.
Tuesday was another
beautiful evening for base-
ball in Heppner—we’re
going to get spoiled with
all these 70-degree games
in the sunshine.
The Mustangs jumped
out to an early 3-0 lead after
the first inning and would
not fall behind the Prospec-
tors throughout the rest of
the game. The Prospectors
battled back in the top of
the second to score two
runs and a third in the top
of the third to tie the game
at 3-3 in the middle of the
third inning.
The Mustangs sent
10 batters to the plate in
the bottom of the third to
score four runs and retake
the lead, 7-3. Consecutive
walks to lead off the top
of the fourth would go
on to score two runs for
the Prospectors, but the
Mustangs battled back to
add a run in the bottom of
the frame—8-5 after four
innings.
Both teams put up a
scoreless fifth inning before
the action picked up again
in the sixth with a Prospec-
tor RBI double to cut into
the Mustang lead, 8-6. In
the bottom of the sixth, a
two-RBI double gave the
Mustangs a 10-6 advantage
going into the final frame.
The Prospectors made
one last run at it, putting
up three runs in the top of
the seventh inning, but a
game-saving catch in the
outfield by Shad Greenup
gave them the final out and
stopped the comeback at
10-9.
Six different Mustangs
tallied a hit in the game—
none more than one. Alakae
Rodriguez led the team
with three runs, followed
closely by Ryan Haugen
and Karver Wilkins, each
with two. Keaton Coiner
joined Greenup as the only
two Mustangs with multiple
RBIs, with two apiece.
Down the Final
Stretch
The Heppner/Ione
Mustangs (9-4 league, 13-6
overall) take to the road to
finish the regular season.
First stop is Grant Union
High School on Tuesday,
May 13, to visit the Grant
Union/Prairie City/Mon-
ument Prospectors (9-4,
10-11) for the second half
of the home-and-home mid-
week series between the
two rivals, as the winner
looks to move toward sole
possession of second place.
Their last regular sea-
son games will be Friday,
May 16, at Weston-McE-
wen High School as they
face the Weston-McEwen/
Griswold TigerScots (4-9,
4-16) in a doubleheader,
with the first game at 1 p.m.
Apply by May 19 to represent Eastern Oregon
on salmon and trout advisory committee
SALEM, OR—ODFW
is seeking two new mem-
bers for the Salmon and
Trout Advisory Committee
(STAC). One new board
member will represent the
Eastern Oregon district, and
one member will represent
the Lower Rogue districts
on STAC.
Interested individuals
are encouraged to apply
by 5 p.m. on May 19. For
application materials, visit
the ODFW STEP webpage
at https://www.dfw.state.
or.us/fish/step/STAC.asp
and use the “Click here to
apply” link.
Desired applicants
should have experience
working with volunteers,
community service organi-
zations, or involvement in
natural resource or fishing
education. Ideally, candi-
dates should have knowl-
edge of the issues and ac-
tivities performed by STEP
biologists, volunteers, and
partner organizations with-
in their territory. ODFW
provides many opportuni-
ties for all Oregonians to be
engaged with STEP and is
looking for ways to further
expand our community
outreach. Candidates that
can connect with or repre-
sent young adults, women,
families or underrepresent-
ed populations are strongly
encouraged to apply.
Candidates must also
be residents of the area they
represent. For the Eastern
Oregon STEP district, that gram Coordinator, at (503)
area communities that lie 947-6232 or Martin.P.Ol-
East of the Cascade Range. son@Odfw.Oregon.Gov.
STEP was created by
the Oregon Legislature in
1981 to provide a way for
volunteers to participate
in the restoration of native
stocks of salmon, steelhead,
and trout. The nine mem-
bers of the Salmon & Trout
Advisory Committee are
appointed by the Governor
and represent all regions of
Oregon.
More information on
this announcement, STAC
and STEP can be found
at https://www.dfw.state.
or.us/fish/STEP/index.asp
or by contacting Marty
Olson, ODFW Salmon and
Trout Enhancement Pro-
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Lexington Hunter Education
The course is a 1 day Field Day on June 14,
2025 at 8:00 am. The class requires students to
take an approved online course and bring the
certificate with you. Instructions for signing up at
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contact 855-686-1055 or
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Lunch
& Dinner
Menu
5/15 - 5/21
Thursday: taco salad in a tortilla
Friday - Tuna Melt with Mac n cheese
Saturday - Gluten Free chicken gumbo with
salad
Sunday - Closed
Monday - Grilled chicken burger with bacon
and pepperjack cheese and a side of potato
salad
Tuesday - Chipotle Philly taco with chips
Tuesday Night 6-9pm $2 hard shell tacos
Wednesday - Sausage breakfast sandwich
with hashbrown patties
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