APRIL 15, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM A6 WEDNESDAY, SPORTS PREP TENNIS • TRACK • SCHEDULE Rooting for youth baseball I read something that saddened me on Thursday. 7KH¿HOGV,OHDUQHG the game of baseball on might be removed. 7KH\¶UHLQDQRWVR ZRQGHUIXOSDUWRI /RQJYLHZDQGDUHQ¶W used for baseball anymore, and people are starting to use them IRUQRWVRZRQGHUIXO purposes. I spent a huge part of my childhood at &HQWUDO&DO5LSNHQ <RXWK%DVHEDOO0\ GDGZDVSUHVLGHQWWKHUH IRUDIHZ\HDUVDQG ,¶GVSHQGPDQ\ZHHN nights and Saturdays at WKHEDOOSDUNZDWFKLQJ games, helping rake, ZRUNLQJWKHVFRUHERDUG I never had so much fun. %XWWKDWH[SHULHQFHLV becoming more and more uncommon. With the rise of travel and baseball and soccer teams poaching players, it forces youth leagues like &HQWUDOWRIROGRUPHUJH ZLWKRWKHUVOHDYLQJLWV facilities to the dogs. There might be a IHZLQ+HUPLVWRQZKR share the nostalgic feelings about similar ballparks. Field of 'UHDPV+HUPLVWRQ/LWWOH /HDJXH¶VSULPDU\VLWH ZDVEXLOWLQDQG dedicated in April of that \HDU7KRVHZKRJUHZXS SOD\LQJDWWKHVLQJOH¿HOG site on East Hurlburt and 6RXWKHDVW6L[WK6WUHHW have differing memories DQGH[SHULHQFHVWKDQ WKRVHZKRKDYHSOD\HG at Field of Dreams, and a small group of people has played at both. The beginning of &HQWUDO¶VGHFOLQHZDV ZKHQLWPHUJHGZLWK the other league in /RQJYLHZ²:HVWHUQ² WRIRUP/RQJYLHZ<RXWK %DVHEDOODQGWKH\HDU old league primarily uses Western’s old facility and XVHV&HQWUDO¶VIRUYDULRXV tournaments in the VXPPHU0\¿UVWHYHU KLWFDPHDW&HQWUDO0\ ¿UVWVWULNHRXW²DWWKH plate and on the mound ²ZHUHWKHUH,XPSLUHG P\¿UVWHYHUJDPHWKHUH I forged friendships there SAM BARBEE FROM THE SIDELINES Sports reporter and learned lessons. I JUHZXSWKHUH It’s almost like a piece RIPHLVJRLQJDZD\,¶YH QHYHUKDGWKHH[SHULHQFH of driving by a place and seeing something QHZLQLWVVWHDGIRUFLQJ PHWRLPDJLQHZKDWZDV replaced. ,GLGQ¶WNQRZDERXW WKH&HQWUDO¶VEDVHEDOO ¿HOGVZKHQ,ZHQW WR+HUPLVWRQ/LWWOH /HDJXH¶VRSHQLQJ ceremonies April 4. But it makes that day even more special to me. 0RUHWKDQ players are registered in Hermiston’s league. That’s a fantastic number. In a good \HDUZKLFKWDLOHGRII VLJQL¿FDQWO\DIWHU,OHIW &HQWUDOZDVOXFN\WR KDYHWRSOD\HUV 0HUJHGZLWKDQRWKHU team on the other side RIWRZQ/RQJYLHZ SURGXFHVDERXW&DO Ripken players. That’s in DWRZQDOPRVWWZLFHWKH size as Hermiston. In many places, youth leagues are ghost WRZQV(VSHFLDOO\LQ /RQJYLHZ(QUROOPHQW LVGRZQ7KHUHZHUH something like three or IRXUWHDPVLQWKHQHZ FRPELQHG/RQJYLHZ Youth Baseball league ODVW\HDU7KHUHZHUHVL[ PDMRUVWHDPVDW&HQWUDO ZKHQ,ZDV%HIRUH WKHPHUJHU&HQWUDO ZDVSXOOLQJNLGVIURP WKHQHDUE\WRZQVRI :DNKLDNXP&ODWVNDQLH DQG5DLQLHUMXVWWR¿OO WHDPV7KRVHWRZQVKDG WURXEOH¿OOLQJWHDPVWRR and had to send their SOD\HUVWR/RQJYLHZMXVW so they could play. The ZULWLQJZDVRQWKHZDOO :KHQ,SOD\HGLWZDV normal to compete in DWHDPWRXUQDPHQW and sometimes those ZHUHFRQVLGHUHGVPDOO 2QH0HPRULDO'D\ZH DVVHPEOHGDQ\HDU ROGWHDPZKLFKZDVQ¶W a good idea, by the SEE BASEBALL/A7 GO SEE IT Wednesday, April 15 No events scheduled Thursday, April 16 Boys Golf Hermiston @ Pendleton Invite, 9 a.m. Softball Hermiston vs. Southridge (WA), 4 p.m. Umatilla vs. Pilot Rock (DH), 4 p.m. Girls Tennis Hermiston vs. Hood River Valley, 4 p.m. Boys Tennis Hermiston @ Hood River Valley, 4 p.m. Friday, April 17 Track Hermiston @ River’s Edge, 11 a.m. Umatilla @ River’s Edge, 11 a.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#5LYHU¶V(GJHDP Echo @ River’s Edge, 11 a.m. Lacrosse Hermiston @ Summit, 8 p.m. Softball Umatilla @ Enterprise (DH), 3 p.m. Echo vs. Grant Union, 1 p.m. Tennis 6WDQ¿HOG YV :HVWRQ0F(ZHQ +HOL[ &RQGRQ # :HVWRQ0F(ZHQSP Golf Echo tournament @ Echo Hills, 10 a.m. Saturday, April 18 Track Hermiston @ UO Relays in Eugene, Oregon, 10 a.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#5LYHUVLGHDP Baseball Hermiston @ The Dalles (DH), 12 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOGYV9DOOH\&DWKOROLFSP Softball Hermiston @ The Dalles (DH), 12 p.m. Lacrosse +HUPLVWRQ#5LJHYLHZSP Tennis 8PDWLOOD#0F/RXJKOLQDP Bulldog boys bully Bucks BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD Hermiston boys tennis FRDFK6KDQQ:HVWZDVKRS LQJIRUDWKURZGRZQ7XHV day against the rival Pend OHWRQ %XFNDURRV EXW ZKDW KHJRWZDVPRUHRQHVLGHG $JDLQVW D VKRUWKDQGHG Pendleton team, the Bull GRJV URXWHG WKH %XFNV in their second dual match of the year. Pendleton EURXJKW MXVW VL[ SOD\HUV DQG RQH RI WKHP ² -HUH P\&RFKUDQH²VDWRXWKLV usual No. 1 doubles match because of a sore shoulder. ³, NQRZ D ORW RI WKH JX\V ZHUHQ¶W WKULOOHG WKH\ RQO\ KDG VL[ JX\V DQG QRW NQRZLQJWKDWDKHDGRIWLPH ZDV NLQG RI GLVDSSRLQW ing,” West said. “Especial ly it being the rivalry, you ZRXOGKRSHDQGH[SHFWWKDW you have a full squad and D IXOO OLQHXS DQG JR KHDG WRKHDG WR ¿JXUH RXW ZKDW school’s best. We didn’t really get that today. So our PLQGVZHUHNLQGRIRXWRILW D OLWWOH DQG ZH GLGQ¶W SOD\ our game.” The Bulldogs cruised through their singles match HV ZLWK WKH FORVHVW PDWFK FRPLQJ IURP DQ GHFL VLRQ EHWZHHQ %XOOGRJ 9DO entino Whitsell and Henry +ROGPDQ %XOOGRJ -DFRE Snell got the nod as the No. 1 singles player over usual top guy Tyler Wadekamper, and Snell didn’t disap point. The lanky lefty han GOHG *DUHWK +DXJ DQG Wadekamper sailed past &RFKUDQH they played doubles togeth er all year. For Hermiston, :HVWVDLG3UHZLWWDQG*ULJJ aren’t used to such a long break before their matches, and that probably played a role in their loss. 7KH ZLQ ZDV +HUPLV ton’s second in as many dual matches. It has been a VORZ VWDUW IRU WKH %XOOGRJV LQWHUPVRIGXDOVDQGZLWK MXVW WZR PRQWKV RI VFKRRO left, their schedule is about to pick up. The Bulldogs have a dual against Hood 5LYHU9DOOH\ODWHUWKLVZHHN DQG WZR HYHQWV HDFK ZHHN for the rest of the season, LQFOXGLQJ D WZRGD\ ZHHN HQG WRXUQDPHQW DW &DSLWDO QH[WZHHN “We’re gonna bust WKURXJK WKHP QRZ´ :HVW said. “We’ve been practic SAM BARBEE PHOTO LQJ D ZKROH ORW DQG WKH Hermiston senior Tyler Wadekamper serves against Pendle- IHHOLQJ LV µ:KDW DUH ZH ton’s Jeremy Cochrane during a No. 2 singles match Tuesday practicing for? Nothing’s in Hermiston. Wadekamper won 8-2. KDSSHQLQJ¶ +RSHIXOO\ ZH get rolling and get our com The senior Wadekamper KLWV ³, WKRXJKW LW ZDV D SHWLWLYH MXLFHV ÀRZLQJ DQG ZDV SOD\LQJ DV WKH 1R pretty good match over get ready for our opponents as they come on.” because he missed the last all.” The girls tennis match couple available practice In doubles action, Ayden days to tour colleges, and 3UHZLWW DQG 6N\OHU *ULJJ pitting Hermiston and 7XHVGD\ ZDV KLV ¿UVW GD\ ate the only Hermiston Pendleton against each oth EDFN +H WRRN D TXLFN ORVVZKHQ+DXJDQG+ROG HU ZDV UDLQHG RXW7XHVGD\ lead on accurate forehands man beat the No. 1 doubles A makeup date has not yet and a strong serve, and han WHDP5DFH/DWKDPDQG been set. GOHG WKH ZLQG ZHOO GRZQ &DPHURQ 0HDGH¶V PDWFK Singles Jacob Snell, HHS def. Gareth Haug, PHS 8-3 WKHVWUHWFK+HVDLGKHZDV ZDV FDQFHOHG EHFDXVH RI Tyler Wadekamper, HHS def. Jeremy Cochrane, a little rusty from missing shoulder injury, Stefano PHS 8-2 Whitsell, HHS def. Henry Holdman, a couple days, but overall Peiris and Koby Grigg beat Valentino PHS 8-6 ZDV SOHDVHG ZLWK KRZ KH +ROGPDQ DQG 'DQLHO 0H Caleb Jorgensen, HHS def. Daniel Medina, played. GLQD DQG +HUPLVWRQ¶V PHS 8-4 “I thought my forehand 3DWULFN :LFNV DQG -DVRQ Doubles Gareth Haug and Henry Holdman, PHS def. ZDV SUHWW\ RQ WRGD\´ 0RUULVWRSSHG-RVK0HQGR Ayden Prewitt and Skyler Grigg, HHS 8-1 Stefano Peiris and Koby Grigg, HHS def. Daniel Wadekamper said, add ]DDQG3HWHU:DOODFH Medina and Josh Mendoza, PHS 8-4 LQJWKDWWKHZLQGSOD\HGD 7KH +DXJ+ROGPDQ Patrick Wicks and Jason Morris, HHS def. Josh role in some of his missed SDLULQJ ZDV WKH ¿UVW WLPH Mendoza and Peter Wallace, PHS 8-2 Hermiston track splits with Hood River Valley Stanfield baseball defeats Weston-McEwen BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD In Hermiston’s second dual meet of the season Tuesday, the Bulldog WUDFN WHDP VSOLW ZLWK +RRG 5LYHU Valley. +HUPLVWRQ ZRQ WKH ER\V VLGH HDUQLQJSRLQWVWR+RRG5LYHU¶V 7KH WDEOHV WXUQHG RQ WKH JLUOV VLGH ZLWK WKH (DJOHV JDUQHULQJ SRLQWVWR+HUPLVWRQ¶V &KLUV%HKUHQGW6DUD2UWL]$OH[ LV 0HUFDGR 0HODQ\ 6RODULR $OH[L 0HUFDGR (PDQXHO ,EDUUD /LOOLH :KHHOHU7U\VWHQ6HDYHUW/XLV0H dina, Noa Ena, Ayleen Sandoval, 0DGG\ -XXO 7\OHU 0F&DEH 6KHU LGDQ =XPZDOW DQG D UHOD\ WHDP RI $QGUHZ +RUQ =XPZDOW 0F&DEH DQG%HKUHQGWZRQHYHQWV +HUPLVWRQ¶V QH[W PHHW LV )ULGD\ at River’s Edge in Umatilla. Events begin at 11 a.m. On Saturday, Hermiston’s Au GUH\ /LQFROQ FRQWLQXHG KHU VWHOODU FDPSDLJQ E\ SODFLQJ VHFRQG in both her individual events at the Willamette Falls Invitational in Or HJRQ&LW\2UHJRQ 7KH VRSKRPRUH VSULQWHU ¿QLVKHG ¿YH KXQGUHGWKV RI D VHFRQG EHKLQG -XOLD 6WHSSHU RI :RRGODQG :DVK LQJWRQ LQ WKH PHWHU VSULQW and three hundredths of a second EHKLQG 0\OHQH *RU]\QVNL RI &RU YDOOLV LQ WKH PHWHUV /LQFROQ FORFNHG D WLPH RI VHFRQGV LQ WKHPHWHUDQGLQWKH As a team, the Hermiston girls SODFHG QLQWK LQ WKH ODUJHVFKRRO GLYLVLRQ ZLWK SRLQWV 2Q WKH boys side, the Bulldogs notched 39 points, tying Pendleton for eighth. +RVW2UHJRQ&LW\ZRQERWKWKHER\V DQGWKHJLUOVODUJHVFKRROGLYLVLRQV :RRGODQG ZRQ ERWK VLGHV RI WKH small school division. BASEBALL STANFIELD 6, WESTON-MCEWEN 3 7KH 6WDQ¿HOG 7LJHUV EDVHEDOO WHDP NHSW LWV ZLQQLQJ VWUHDN DOLYH ZLWK D ZLQ RYHU :HVWRQ0F( ZHQ LQ D QRQOHDJXH JDPH7XHVGD\ evening. Ryan Bailey took the ball and turned in another “great perfor PDQFH´KHDGFRDFK%U\DQ-RKQVRQ VDLG +H WKUHZ VL[ LQQLQJV IDQQHG DQG DOORZHG QR HDUQHG UXQV RQ MXVWWZRKLWV ,WZDVDOPRVWVSRLOHGE\DQRWKHU ³SRRU KLWWLQJ´ GD\ ZLWK QXPHURXV ³OD]\´ À\ EDOOV DQG UXQQHUV OHIW RQ EDVH-RKQVRQVDLG :LWK WKH ZLQ 6WDQ¿HOG PRYHV WRRQWKH\HDUJRRGIRUD WLHDWRSWKH(DVWHUQ2UHJRQ/HDJXH ZLWK9DOH1\VVDLVQ¶WIDU EHKLQG DW 7KH 7LJHUV DUH FXUUHQWO\UDQNHGVL[WKE\WKH26$$ ³,WZDVDQXJO\ZLQIRUXV´-RKQ VRQ VDLG ³0XFK LPSURYHPHQW LV needed.” 6WDQ¿HOG¶V QH[W WHVW LV D VKRZ GRZQ ZLWK $ 9DOOH\ &DWKROLF 6DW XUGD\ LQ 6WDQ¿HOG )LUVW SLWFK LV DW noon. 2YHU WKH ZHHNHQG WKH 7LJHUV VZHSWWKH(OJLQ,PEOHU+XVNLHV DQG 6DWXUGD\ LQ D $ (DVWHUQ 2UHJRQ/HDJXHGRXEOHKHDGHU In the opener, sophomore lefty .OD\ -HQVRQ ZHQW ¿YH LQQLQJV DO ORZLQJ DQ HDUQHG UXQ RQ MXVW WZR KLWV ZDONHG RQH DQG IDQQHG QLQH 6RSKRPRUH ULJKWKDQGHU '\ODQ Grogan came in to slam the door, SLWFKLQJ WKH ¿QDO WZR LQQLQJV RI VKXWRXWEDOO7K\OHU0RQNXVOHGWKH ZD\ DW WKH SODWH JRLQJ IRU RXW RI WKH OHDG RII VSRW DQG VFRUHG WZR RI6WDQ¿HOG¶VWKUHHUXQV -HQVRQ ZDV MXVW DV JRRG DW WKH SODWHDVKHZDVRQWKHPRXQGQRWFK LQJWZR5%,VRQDVLQJOH ,QWKHQLJKWFDS7RQ\)ORUHVZDV nearly untouchable. 7KH VRSKRPRUH ULJKW\ ZHQW WKH distance on just 82 pitches, tossing DWZRKLWVKXWRXWZKLOHZKLI¿QJVL[ *URJDQZDVIRUDWWKHSODWHZLWK WZR 5%,V DQG 6WHYHQ $OODQ DQG Hunter Barnes each drove in runs, too. 6WDQ¿HOG ZDV KHOG VFRUHOHVV XQ WLO WKH VL[WK ZKHQ 0RQNXV ZDV KLW by a pitch, stole second and scored ZKHQ$OODQEXQWHGWRVDFUL¿FHKLP WR WKLUG *URJDQ WKHQ ZDONHG DQG FDPHDURXQGRQDWZRRXWVLQJOHE\ Barnes. ,Q WKH VHYHQWK XS *URJDQ GURYH LQ %DLOH\ DQG -DVRQ )LW]SDW ULFNRQDWZRRXWVLQJOHWROHIW¿HOG 1RIXUWKHUGHWDLOVZHUHUHSRUWHG 7KH (FKR &RXJDUV VRIWEDOO WHDP VSOLW D ZHHNHQG GRXEOHKHDGHU ZLWK (OJLQ,PEOHU RQ 6DWXUGD\ ZLQQLQJ WKH RSHQHU LQ HLJKW LQQLQJV DQG GURSSLQJWKHQLJKWFDS In the opener, Echo had to rally to SXOORXWWKHZLQ Headed into the bottom half of WKH¿IWKWKLQJVZHUHNQRWWHGDWWKUHH XQWLOWKH+XVNLHVVFRUHGLQWKH¿IWK DQGVL[WKZKLOHWKH&RXJDUVSODWHG MXVWRQHLQWKHVL[WK (FKR SXVKHG DFURVV WZR LQ WKH WRSRIWKHVHYHQWKWRWDNHDOHDG KLJKOLJKWHG E\ D -DPLH &KULVWRSKHU GRXEOH 7KH OHDG ZDV VKRUWOLYHG though, as the Huskies came right EDFNZLWKDUXQRIWKHLURZQLQWKH bottom of the seventh to send the JDPH LQWR H[WUD IUDPHV 7KH &RX JDUV ZRXOGQ¶W EH GHQLHG WKRXJK DV %DLOH\ 6URIH 0RQLTXH 0RQWR\D DQG&KULVWRSKHUHDFKKDGKLWV%HWK 0LOEURGWKDGDQ5%,DQG(FKRSODW HGWZRWRWDNHWKHGHFLVLRQ0LO EURGW¶V QRRXW VDFUL¿FH À\ SODWHG Sfrofe to put Echo ahead for good. &KULVWRSKHU¿QLVKHGIRUZLWK WZR 5%,V 0RQWR\D ZDV IRU ZLWK D GRXEOH DQG 0DFNHQ]LH *RQ ]DOHV FKLSSHG LQ ZLWK DQ 5%, GRX EOH *RQ]DOHV WKUHZ DOO HLJKW LQ QLQJV DOORZLQJ WKH VL[ UXQV RQH HDUQHG RQ HLJKW KLWV ZKLOH VWULNLQJ RXWHLJKWDQGZDONLQJMXVWRQH7KH lone earned run came in the bottom RIWKH¿IWKLQQLQJ In the nightcap, things didn’t TXLWHJR(FKR¶VZD\ The Huskies, again facing Gon zales, plated four in the home half of WKH¿UVWLQQLQJDQGWKUHHLQWKHWKLUG WRWDNHDFRPPDQGLQJOHDGWKH\ ZRXOGQ¶WUHOLQTXLVK2IWKHUXQV DOORZHG WKRXJK QRQH ZHUH HDUQHG DV(FKRFRPPLWWHGVL[HUURUV(FKR PDQDJHG MXVW WZR KLWV LQ WKH ORVV OHG E\ 0RQWR\D¶V IRU ZLWK DQ RBI and a run scored. GOLF The Hermiston boys tennis team FDPHDZD\ZLWKDWKLUGSODFH¿QLVK DWWKH%HQG,QYLWHRQ0RQGD\ 7KH%XOOGRJVVKRWDSOXV SXWWLQJWKHP¿UPO\LQWKLUGSODFH VWURNHV EHKLQG VHFRQGSODFH %HQG DQGVWURNHVDKHDGRIIRXUWKSODFH BAKER 5, ECHO 4 0RXQWDLQ9LHZ The Echo softball team dropped 3DGHQ/D&RXUVLHUH¿QLVKHGWKLUG its second straight game Tuesday, LQGLYLGXDOO\ FDUGLQJ D SOXV FRPLQJXSVKRUWLQDGHFLVLRQLQ +H ZDV MXVW D VWURNH EDFN RI 6XP PLW¶V -DFN /REHUJ IRU VHFRQG SODFH %DNHU&LW\ (FKR GURSSHG WR ZLWK DQG WZR VWURNHV EDFN RI %HQG¶V the loss and into a tie for second SEE ROUNDUP/A7 ZLWK(QWHUSULVH-RVHSK:DOORZD SOFTBALL