Bulldogs nip Fruitland, 11-9

Baker and Fruitland combined for 20 runs, 14 hits, 20 walks and seven errors in a wild non-league softball game Tuesday at the Baker Sports Complex.

Baker had the most hits and fewest errors on the way to an 11-9 victory over the Grizzlies.

“We visited with our pitchers after the Ontario games about having to have command of three pitches,” said Baker coach Al McCauley.

“I thought our pitchers threw well, but we seemed to have a small strike zone. I thought DJ (McCauley) had good command of her three pitches.”

Tori Brown started in the circle for the Bulldogs. She pitched 2-plus innings allowing three hits and walking five.

Mackenzie Srack came in with no outs in the third and pitched 1· innings, walking six.

Fruitland pitcher Tara Hutchinson gave up 10 Baker hits and walked seven.

“Fruitland is one of the better hitting teams we’ll see all season,” said Coach McCauley.

“And, I thought our girls hit the ball well. Particularly Jessi Stephens, Sierra Howerton and Laura Wilson.”

Baker took advantage of two Fruitland errors to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Then, after Fruitland took a 4-2 lead in the top of the second, Baker answered with seven runs in the bottom of the inning.

With one out, Becca Joseph and Aubree Shepherd walked. Howerton then scored both runners with a double off the left-center field fence. Wilson and McCauley walked to load the bases. Brown then singled one run home before Stephens laced a triple to right to clear the bases.

Joseph later scored Stephens with a single up the middle to give Baker a 9-4 edge.

Baker increased its lead to 11-4 in the third. Consecutive singles by Wilson, McCauley, Brown and Stephens did the job with McCauley and Stephens driving in the runs.

Fruitland cut into Baker’s lead with five runs in the top of the fourth. The Grizzlies used four walks and a two-run single by Hutchinson to pull within 11-9.

McCauley then allowed just two Fruitland baserunners in the final three innings to gain the save for Brown.

Brown, Wilson and Stephens each finished with two hits. Stephens drove in four runs, and Howerton two.

Baker (2-4 in the Greater Oregon League) hosts Mac-Hi in a league doubleheader Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.

Coach McCauley said Tuesday’s win should help the Bulldogs right the ship.

“We’ve been a little out of whack lately,” he said. “Today the girls were into the game in the dugout, and had good communication on the field.”

Fruitland    0    4    0    5    0    0        0 —  9

Baker    2    7    2    0    0    0        x — 11

Hutchinson and Martarano. Brown, Srack (3), McCauley (4) and Joseph. WP – Brown. LP – Hutchinson. S – McCauley.

Fruitland hits – Martarano, Zamora, Daws, Hutchinson. Baker hits – Wilson 2, Howerton, Brown 2, Stephens 2, Joseph, McCauley, Johnson.

Fruitland RBI – Martarano, Zamora, Daws 2, Carlson, Hutchinson 2. Baker RBI – Howerton 2, Brown, Stephens 4, Joseph, McCauley.

2B – Zamora, Howerton. 3B – Stephens.