Baker baseball sweeps Grant Union

Baker swept Grant Union 13-3 and 4-3 in a non-league baseball twinbill Tuesday at the Baker Sports Complex. But, in the process the Bulldogs lost infielder Ty Everson to a broken collarbone.

The accident occurred in the fourth inning of the second game when Everson was run into by the Prospectors’ Dalton Moore while attempting to field a ball at second base. Moore was called for interference on the play ending the inning.

“When Ty came into the dugout he turned white,” said Baker coach Dan Blankenship. “Then he complained that his shoulder hurt. I took one look at it and sent for Coach Richards.”

(Coach Richards, who helps with the Baker JV team, is Dr. David Richards.)

To compound matters Baker already was without Jon Woolard, who is nursing an injury, and Derek Blankenship who became ill between games Tuesday.

“We just have to mix and match all the time,” said Coach Blankenship. “With guys sick and injured. But our young guys came through on short notice.”

Blankenship also had to alter his pitching plans due to the absent players. Dekker Smith started the second game, and was only going to throw four innings. But, because of the situation, he went six. Cole Brown, who wasn’t supposed to pitch Tuesday, threw the seventh to earn a save.

“Cole told me in the fifth he felt good and could go,” Blankenship said. “I said if he did it would be one inning in the seventh.

“Our pitchers did a nice job of throwing strikes and changing speeds,” the Baker coach said.

Grant Marcum and Jordan Harlow each threw three innings in the first game with Marcum picking up  the win.

Grant Union reached Marcum for two first-inning runs in the opener.

Baker answered with five runs in the second inning. Trace Richardson had the big blow, a two-run home run to center field. Harlow added an RBI single. Two more runs scored on wild pitches.

Then, after Grant Union scored again in the top of the third, Everson’s RBI double gave Baker a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the inning.

Smith’s RBI double, and a run-scoring single by Blankenship sparked a two-run fourth.

Everson, who finished the first game 3-for-3, added another RBI double in a two-run fifth.

Smith slapped a two-run homer in the sixth. Then after Baker loaded the bases, Will Barr drew a walk to end the game by 10-run rule.

Game 2 was much closer.

Baker took a 3-0 lead in the second. Barr plated the first run with a sacrifice fly. Justin Durflinger drove home the second with a ground out. Marcum’s double scored the third run.

Smith’s RBI double increased Baker’s lead to 4-0 in the fifth.

Grant Union then made things interesting with three runs in the sixth. The Prospectors bunched four hits in the inning to pull within 4-3.

Brown then relieved Smith in the seventh getting Grant Union 1-2-3.

Baker returns to Greater Oregon League action Saturday when the Bulldogs host La Grande at 1 p.m. Baker (7-1 in the GOL) leads the Tigers (6-2) by one game in the race for the league lead.

First game

Grant Union    2    0    1    0    0    0    —    3

Baker    0    5    1    2    2    3    —    13

Webb, Weymouth (2) and Reynolds. Marcum, Harlow (4) and Barr, Marcum (4). WP – Marcum (1-0). LP – Webb.

Grant Union hits – Martin, Williams 3, Ranft, Lippert, Reynolds. Baker hits – Harlow 3, Richardson 2, Barr, Everson 3, Brown 2, Blankenship, Smith 2.

Grant Union RBI – Williams, Ranft. Baker RBI – Harlow, Richardson 2, Barr, Everson 2, Blankenship, Smith 3.

2B – Everson 2, Smith. HR – Richardson (4), Smith (5).

Second game

Grant Union    0    0    0    0    0    3    0    —    3

Baker    0    3    0    0    1    0    x    —    4

Williams, Moore (3), Ranft (5) and Temple. Smith, Brown (7) and Marcum. WP – Smith (1-0). LP – Williams. S – Brown (1).

Grant Union hits – Lippert 3, Williams, Immoos, Temple. Baker hits – Richardson, Barr, Durflinger, Marcum 2, Harlow, Smith.

Grant Union RBI – Lippert, Temple 2. Baker RBI – Barr, Durflinger, Marcum, Smith.

2B – Lippert 2, Williams, Temple, Marcum, Smith. HR – Lippert.