Baker hits 5 homers in sweeping Weiser

Baker’s baseball record remains without a blemish, but the Bulldogs didn’t exactly play perfectly in sweeping a doubleheader from Weiser, Idaho, Tuesday at the Sports Complex.

They did come awfully close, though.

Five Baker pitchers combined to hold the Wolverines to a single hit in the 7-0, 13-0 sweep.

The quintet surrendered just two walks.

And the Baker defense committed only one error.

The Bulldog hitters, meanwhile, treated the ball rather more harshly than Weiser did.

Trace Richardson accounted for two of the long balls, including a grand slam in the nightcap.

Little wonder, then, that Coach Dan Blankenship was particularly pleased with his second-ranked team, which improved its overall record to 10-0 (Baker is 2-0 in Greater Oregon League play).

“Any time you can give up one hit in a doubleheader, and hit five home runs, that’s a pretty good accomplishment,” Blankenship said.

“Fortunately, we have five or six kids we can put out there who can throw two or three different pitches consistently for strikes,” he said. “And from one through nine anyone can  hit the ball out of the ball park.”

The Bulldogs needed little time to verify their coach’s claim Tuesday.

In the bottom of the first in the opener, Ty Everson reached base on an error.

Derek Blankenship followed by driving a pitch over the fence in left center for a two-run homer.

Richardson then homered to right field, giving Baker a 3-0 lead.

Matt Gorrell doubled, and came home on Will Barr’s single.

The score stayed at 4-0 until the bottom of the fifth.

Steven Talbot doubled, and he scored on Coleman Lay’s double. Gorrell drove in Lay with a single, and Baker led 6-0.

Everson tallied Baker’s final run in the sixth by reaching base on a single, stealing second and scoring on a passed ball.

Gorrell earned the win on the mound, going the first four innings.

He allowed Weiser’s lone hit of the afternoon.

Not that it mattered.

Catcher Jesse Brown promptly threw out the runner trying to steal second.

Lay pitched the fifth and sixth, and Barr the final inning.

Game 2 started in similar fashion, with Baker taking a 3-0 lead after one inning.

Talbot and Blankenship both singled.

Dekker Smith then cleared the bases with a home run to left.

Baker added two runs in the third, both scoring on winning pitcher Justin Durflinger’s single.

The Bulldogs’ big inning was the fourth.

Everson was hit by a pitch, and Talbot and Blankenship both singled to load the bases.

Richardson then emptied them with a grand slam to left.

Coach Blankenship expects a more competitive atmosphere Friday when Baker hosts GOL rival La Grande in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. The Tigers are also 2-0 in league play.

First game

Weiser             0    0    0    0    0    0    0    — 0

Baker               4    0    0    0    2    1    x    — 7

Gorrell, Lay (5), Barr (7) and Brown. WP – Gorrell.

Baker hits – Everson 2, Talbot, Blankenship, Lay, Richardson, Gorrell 2, Barr 2.

Baker RBI – Blankenship 2, Richardson, Barr, Lay, Gorrell

2B – Talbot, Lay, Gorrell. HR – Blankenship, Richardson

Second game

Weiser    0    0    0    0    0    —    0

Baker    3    0    2    8    x    —    13

Durflinger, Smith (5) and Gorrell. WP: Durflinger

Baker hits – Everson 2, Talbot 2, Blankenship 2, Smith, Richardson 2, Lay 2, Durflinger, Barr.

Baker RBI – Smith 3, Durflinger 2, Richardson 4, Barr, Freese, Everson 2.

2B – Lay. HR — Smith, Richardson, Everson.