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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 27, 2015)
SPORTS SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM A7 YOUTH BASEBALL • PREP SOFTBALL • SCHEDULE Mariners look to past to improve their future SAM BARBEE FROM THE SIDELINES Sports reporter S afeco Field is known as “The House that Griffey Built,” and that’s true, to a degree. But perhaps WKHPRVWEHORYHG¿JXUHLQ6HDWWOH Mariners history is Edgar Martinez. He utilized one of the all-time best right-handed swings to create a Hall of Fame career: .312/.418/.515/.933 slash line; 514 doubles; 309 home runs; more walks — 1283 — than strikeouts — 1202. And now he’s back in the Mariners’ dugout as hitting coach. I still can’t believe it. The television cameras are attracted to him, and it’s such an amazing thing. I’m waiting for a hot day so Edgar won’t wear a pullover but has his jersey exposed with his iconic No. 11 on his back. The past and present have joined. But the over-arching question about Martinez’s arrival as hitting coach is can the Mariners actually hit? I’m optimistic. I don’t see Martinez turning around the offense right away. Since his hiring last Saturday, the M’s are 2-3 and have scored 18 runs. They’ve scored three or more twice, both wins, and two or fewer in the three losses. That doesn’t scream improvement, but I can point to a couple things that suggest improvement. 7KH¿UVWLV0LNH=XQLQR7RVD\WKDWWKH 23-year-old catcher has been frustrating is an understatement. As good as the Florida product is behind the plate, he’s just as bad at the plate. After raking in spring training, he fell off a cliff. He’s batting .165 as of Thursday and has struck out in 83 of 200 at-bats. But he has hits in two straight games, including a big RBI single in Tuesday’s 7-0 win over Kansas City. 7KH¿UVWWKLQJ0DUWLQH]GLGZLWK =XQLQRDFFRUGLQJWRD6HDWWOH7LPHV UHSRUWZDVWRVHWDWHHLQSODFHV=XQLQR thought he couldn’t reach, and then he hit line drives from those spots. That might not sound like a lot. It doesn’t help with pitch recognition and hitting breaking EDOOV=XQLQR¶VELJJHVWZHDNQHVVHV%XWLW GRHVKHOSZLWKFRQ¿GHQFHDQGLQKHUHQWO\ knowing that you can take this stick made of wood and make contact with a little ball going 90 miles per hour. As anyone who played the game knows, baseball is more mental than physical. Martinez is going WRKDYHWREXLOG=XQLQR¶VVHOIFRQ¿GHQFH to where it was when he was a junior at Florida and hit .322 with 19 jacks. Overall, though, I think there will be two major differences in Seattle’s offense moving forward: consistency and adjustments. In the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 5 of the 1995 Divisional Series, Martinez saved baseball in Seattle with The Double Heard ’Round the Sound. He took a Jack McDowell forkball GRZQWKHOHIW¿HOGOLQHWRSODWH-RH\ Cora and Ken Griffey Jr. to beat the New York Yankees 7-6 and pencil “Mariners” into the American League Championship series against Cleveland. What people forget is that McDowell fanned Martinez with a forkball the last time they had met, earlier that game. Martinez knew it was coming, sat on it DQGGURYHLWLQWRWKHOHIW¿HOGFRUQHU+H made the adjustment in game and made millions of adjustments over the course of his 14-year career. The things the M’s struggle at most is making adjustments and staying consistent. Martinez, as demonstrated by The Double, and his ability to hit .320 or higher seven times, can help them in those areas. Don’t expect the Mariners to turn into the Kansas City Royals and hit .280 as a team. But expect the offense to become a more recognizable Major League offense, and look for the M’s to start winning. Hopefully. —Sam Barbee is a sports reporter for the Hermiston Herald and East Oregonian based in Hermiston. He can be reached by phone at (541) 564-4542 or by email at sbarbee@ hermistonherald.com. Follow him on Twitter @SamBarbee1 and Herald Sports @HHeraldSports. Sexton powers Hermiston to split Rising senior tosses five quality innings, goes yard BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD Tyler Sexton, consistently the loudest member of Hermiston’s baseball team, with his recogniz- able voice often coming from the GXJRXW RU KLV XVXDO VSRW DW ¿UVW base, had a lot to cheer about Thursday. 6H[WRQWRVVHG¿YHLQQLQJVRI two-run ball and hit a two-run home run, and Hayden Edmis- ton hit a single in the bottom of the sixth to plate Kody Moss for a 12-2 Hermiston win in the second game of an AAU double- header over Mt. Spokane from Washington. In an earlier game, Mt. Spokane scored four times in the third and went on to win 5-4. 6H[WRQ ¿QLVKHG WKH QLJKWFDS 2-for-4 with a double, home run and four RBIs. He also pitched ¿YH LQQLQJV DOORZLQJ WZR HDUQHG UXQV RQ ¿YH KLWV ZKLOH striking out three and walking none. RJ Robles was 3-for-4 with two steals, four runs scored and a triple. Hermiston was in full control in the nightcap. Started by solid pitching from Sexton, Mt. Spokane didn’t get a base runner until the third, when Sexton plunked a batter with one out. Meanwhile, Hermiston got on the board early and often. Robles walked on four pitches to lead off, stole second and then one out and scoring a couple RBI singles to cut Hermiston’s lead to 8-2. The boys in purple wouldn’t let Mt. Spokane get closer. Robles, who never failed to UHDFKEDVHOHGRIIWKH¿IWKZLWK a single and was followed by an Edmiston walk. Anderson was then tagged in the helmet, send- ing Sexton to the plate with the bags packed. He grounded out, but Robles scored on the play for a 9-2 lead. With Tolan at the plate, Anderson came home on a wild pitch for an 11-2 lead. Tolan walked, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning before Hermis- ton could end the game. The players didn’t have to wait much longer, however. Schwirse singled with one out, and Robles reached on an error with two away. This brought up Edmiston with a SAM BARBEE PHOTO chance to put Hermiston up Hermiston’s Tyler Sexton smiles as he greets teammate at home plate 10 runs and send Mt. Spokane after launching a two-run home run Thursday afternoon against Mt. packing. He did just that, lining Spokane in an AAU baseball game. Hermiston won 12-2. DVLQJOHLQWRULJKW¿HOGDOORZLQJ Schwirse to trot home and end moved to second on a ground WRULJKW¿HOGDQG(GPLVWRQZDV the ballgame. ——— out. He then scored on a wild plunked, giving Hermiston run- pitch for a 1-0 lead. Then Garron ners at the corners with no outs. HERMISTON 12, Anderson singled and Sexton $QGHUVRQÀHZRXWWROHIWSODWLQJ MT. SPOKANE 2 doubled, giving Hermiston two Robles and putting Hermiston 000 200 — 2 6 2 runners in scoring position with up 5-0. Then Sexton mashed his MTSP HERM 431 031 — 12 12 0 just one away. Anderson scored second dinger of the summer Davis and Johnson; T. Sexton, S. Gritz and H. on a passed ball with Lukas To- RYHUWKHOHIW¿HOGIHQFHFOHDULQJ Edmiston. T. Sexton (HERM). 3B: R. Robles (HERM). HR: T. lan at the dish, and Tolan plated it by a good four feet. It drove in 2B: Sexton (HERM). Sexton two pitches later on a sin- Edmiston and gave Hermiston a ——— gle for a 3-0 lead. An error and commanding 7-0 lead. out later, Caden Schwirse sin- Hermiston tacked on another MT. SPOKANE 5, gled home Tolan for a 4-0 lead. in the third when Robles walked HERMISTON 4 It was all Hermiston would and scored on an Anderson 004 010 0 — 5 2 0 need, but it didn’t stop there. single. Mt. Spokane, though, MTSP HERM 000 003 1 — 4 5 4 Robles led off the second showed some life in the visitor’s Cain and Johnson; R. Robles and J. Poznanski. with a screaming stand-up triple fourth by loading the bases with 2B: Johnson (MTSP). Cougars’ Christopher makes all-state list She was named to the all- VWDWHVHFRQGWHDPKHU¿UVWWLPH -XQLRUFHQWHU¿HOGHU-HQQLIHU earning the distinction. Christopher was Echo’s lone Santiam Christian senior in- representative on the Class 3A ¿HOGHU .DO\HH %XKUNXKO ZDV All-State softball teams, which voted Player of the Year, Rain- were voted on by coaches and ier junior Sarah Probasco was released on Tuesday. Pitcher of the Year, and Dayton Christopher batted for a .325 Pirates skipper Rob Umbenhow average for the Cougars and led as named Coach of the Year. the team with 27 hits and 30 Other representatives on the runs scored. all-state rosters from Echo’s EO MEDIA GROUP Eastern Oregon League includ- HGRQWKH¿UVWWHDP(OJLQ,P- EOHUVHQLRULQ¿HOGHU0LDK6ODW- HU9DOH VHQLRU RXW¿HOGHU7UDFL Tolman and Vale senior desig- nated player Corlynn Perry; on the second team, Grant Union senior catcher Babe Nash, Vale VRSKRPRUH LQ¿HOGHU $PDQGD Trenkel, Elgin/Imbler senior RXW¿HOGHU 'DUFLH .DQRKR DQG Vale sophomore utility Lexi Mulvaney; on honorable men- tion, Vale junior pitcher Kelsey Hawley, Elgin/Imbler junior pitcher Karigan Wilhelm, Vale VRSKRPRUH LQ¿HOGHU +DQQDK Mizuta, Enterprise/Joseph/ :DOORZD VHQLRU LQ¿HOGHU .ULV- W\Q <RXQJ 1\VVD VHQLRU ¿UVW baseman Kendra Cleaver, Vale VRSKRPRUH¿UVWEDVHPDQ*UDFH Reever and Grant Union senior utility Sydney Stearns. SPORTS IN BRIEF 6tan¿eld alumni baseball game this weekend YLGHGDQGWKH¿HOGZLOOEHRSHQ tures three divisions: youth, competitive 6 foot and under at 2 p.m. for batting practice. and Coors Light men’s open. It costs $100 for a three-man Early bird youth team, $120 for a 6 foot 6WDQ¿HOGLVKRVWLQJLWVIRXUWK three-on-three and under team and $140 for annual alumni baseball game the men’s open. After today, Sunday at Madigan Field in registration ends soon another $20 is added to the ex- The early bird registration pe- isting prices. Participants may 6WDQ¿HOG,WLVRSHQWRDOO6WDQ- ¿HOGDQG(FKRDOXPQLDQGFRVWV riod for the 10th Annual Takin’ it register until noon July 10. $25. Included in the cost is a to the Streets three-on-three bas- Brackets are available for sec- T-shirt and food after the game. ketball tournament ends today. ond-graders through high school The tournament, which runs seniors as well as for adult men First pitch is set for 3 p.m. Any gear needed will be pro- on Main Street July 18-19, fea- and women. Men’s brackets will be divided among skill lev- els, with the best players being placed in the open division. The Weekend Warriors is a recre- ational “fun in the sun” set-up. Visit http://www.hermis- ton3on3.org/registration.html WR¿OORXWDUHJLVWUDWLRQIRUPIRU a team. A PayPal account is re- quired to pay the entrance fee. Pre-tournament packet pick-up is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 17 at Grace & Mercy Lutheran Church, 164 E. Main St. GO SEE IT Saturday, June 27 Auto racing Johnny Appleseed Super Late Model 125, 7 p.m. 9/10 year-old softball districts Hermiston vs. Milton-Freewater (Game 1) @ Irrigon, 8 a.m. LaGrande vs. Pendleton (Game 2) @ Ir- rigon, 10:30 a.m. 10/11-year-old softball districts Hermiston vs. Columbia (Game 1) @ Irrigon, 1 p.m. 11/12-year-old softball districts Baker vs. Hermiston (Game 1) @ Irri- gon, 3:30 p.m. Pilot Rock vs. Pendleton (Game 2) @ Irrigon, 6 p.m. Sunday, June 28 9/10-year-old softball districts Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 (Game 3) @ Irrigon, 8 a.m. Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (Game 4) @ Irrigon, 10:30 a.m. 10/11-year-old softball districts Winner Game 1 vs. Loser Game 1 (Game 2) @ Irrigon, 1 p.m. 11/12-year-old softball districts Winner Game 1 vs. LaGrande (Game 3) @ Irrigon, 3:30 p.m. Winner Game 2 vs. Pendleton (Game 4) @ Irrigon, 6 p.m. 5), 1 p.m. Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3 (Game 6), 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 Men’s softball Preferred Realty @ Elite, North softball Monday, June 29 ¿HOG7KHDWHU6SRUWV3DUNSP Competitive co-ed softball Elite @ Preferred Realty, North softball TRCI/Java Junkies @ Riverside Sports ¿HOG7KHDWHU6SRUWV3DUNSP %DU 1RUWK VRIWEDOO ¿HOG 7KHDWHU 6SRUWV 9/10-year-old softball Park, 6 p.m. Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 Untouchables @ Purosho, South softball (Game 6) @ Irrigon, 10:30 a.m. ¿HOG7KHDWHU6SRUWV3DUNSP 11/12-year-old softball districts Riverside Sports Bar @ TRCI/Java Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 -XQNLHV 1RUWK VRIWEDOO ¿HOG 7KHDWHU (Game 7) @ Irrigon, 1 p.m. Sports Park, 7:30 p.m. Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 Purosho @ Untouchables, South softball (Game 8) @ Irrigon, 3:30 p.m. ¿HOG7KHDWHU6SRUWV3DUNSP 9/10-year-old softball districts Wednesday, July 1 Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 (Game 9/10-year-old softball districts 5) @ Irrigon, 10:30 a.m. Game 7 (if necessary) @ Irrigon, 10:30 a.m. 10/11-year-old softball districts 11/12-year-old softball districts Game 3 (if necessary), TBA Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7 (Game 11/12-year-old softball districts Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 4 (Game 9) @ Irrigon, 6 p.m.