Baker softball sweeps La Grande

The sweep improves Baker’s GOL record to 6-4 and 13-10 overall. La Grande drops to 8-2 in the GOL.

“These were a couple of big wins for us,” said Baker coach Al McCauley.

“We would need some help from Mac-Hi. But if we can beat Ontario and Mac-Hi could sweep La Grande we’d tie for first and have to have a playoff game.”

Saturday’s wins almost proved costly for the Bulldogs when first-game starter Mackenzie Srack was hit on her shin and had to leave the game. McCauley said it was first thought her leg was broken, but x-rays proved it to be only a sprain.

Tori Brown took over for Srack in the fourth inning of the opener and preserved the win. Brown then threw a complete-game win in the nightcap.

Tara Talbott, slugged her ninth home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie and give Baker the first win.

“Their coach was commenting after the games that he told their pitchers not to pitch to Tara,” McCauley said.

The Tiger hurlers got the message in the second game, walking Talbott four times.

But that worked to Baker’s advantage as Brown and Darryn McCauley, hitting behind Talbott, drove in nine runs.

Savannah Daly’s RBI single gave Baker a 1-0 lead in the third inning of the first game.

Talbott’s RBI double in the fourth gave Baker a 2-0 cushion before La Grande tied the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth.

In the seventh, Ashley Vela walked with one out and was sacrificed to second by Andrea Wilson. Talbott then hit her homer to right field.

In Game 2, Brown’s two-run triple, and an RBI single by McCauley gave Baker a 3-2 lead in the third inning.

Two walks and a Brown single loaded the bases in the fifth. McCauley then unloaded them with a three-run double.

Brown added a two-run double in the sixth, and McCauley drove home another run on a La Grande error.

Baker led 10-2 at that point. A La Grande grand slam helped the Tigers pull within 10-7 in the bottom of the sixth.

Baker hosts Ontario in the final GOL regular-season games Thursday.

First game

Baker    0    0    1    1    0    0    2    —    4

La Grande    0    0    0    1    1    0    0    —    2

Srack, Brown (4) and Joseph. Chrisman and Tracy. WP – Srack (4-4). LP – Chrisman.

Baker hits – Vela, Talbott 2, Brown, Stephens, Srack, Daly. La Grande hits – S. Brown, Hasse 2, Chrisman, Aldred 2, C. Brown 2.

Baker RBI – Talbott 3, Daly. La Grande RBI – Aldred.

2B – Talbott, Srack, S. Brown. HR – Talbott (9).

Second game

Baker    0    0    3    0    4    3    0    —    10

La Grande    1    0    1    0    0    5    0    —    7

Brown and Joseph. Chrisman, Hasse (7) and Tracy. WP – Brown (6-3). LP – Chrisman.

Baker hits – A. Wilson 2, Brown 3, McCauley 2, L. Wilson. La Grande hits – S. Brown 2, Hasse 2, Chrisman 3, Aldred, Miller 2, Shaw.

Baker RBI – Brown 4, McCauley 5. La Grande RBI – S. Brown 4, Chrisman.

2B – A. Wilson, Brown, McCauley, Miller. 3B – Brown. HR – S. Brown.