Bulldogs sweep Ontario to gain share of GOL championship

Baker picked the perfect time to break out of its late-season duldrums Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (18-5 overall) needed to be at their best when they hosted Ontario in the Greater Oregon League regular-season baseball finale for both teams. On the line for the Bulldogs was a return to the Class 4A state playoffs.

Baker was faced with one of three scenarios, and chose the best by sweeping the Tigers 7-4 and 6-3 at the Baker Sports Complex.

The sweep, coupled with La Grande’s 8-2 and 11-0 sweep of Mac-Hi, left Baker and La Grande tied as GOL co-champions. Those two teams will meet Tuesday in Pendleton for a 4 p.m. seeding game at Bob White Field. The winner of that game gets the GOL No. 1 state berth and hosts Scappoose May 25. The loser of Tuesday’s game gains the No. 2 GOL berth and travels to North Marion May 25.

“It gets us back to the post season. The kids have worked hard to get back on the winning track and here we go.”

In the opener, the Bulldogs spotted Ontario a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. That was the Tigers’ last lead.

Matt Gorrell’s two-run home run in the bottom of the inning gave Baker the lead for good. Will Barr added an RBI single in the inning.

Ty Everson and Gorrell opened the second inning with singles. Everson eventually scored on a passed ball. Everson added an RBI single in the third to lift Baker on top 5-1.

Trace Richardson’s RBI triple completed Baker’s scoring in the sixth. Richardson tallied the final run when Ontario committed an error on the play.

Gorrell pitched the first five innings, striking out five, to gain the win. Derek Blankenship struck out four in the final two innings to earn the save.

“Matt did a good job on the mound. He threw very well,” Coach Blankenship said. “And Derek did the job.”

The same pattern materialized in Game 2.

Ontario took a 1-0 lead in the first, only to have Baker answer with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Everson and Gorrell were both hit by pitches. Both scored on Blankenship’s single. Richardson later grounded out to score Blankenship.

Everson and Gorrell each walked to open the second inning. Both then stole a base. Both later scored on a hit by Dekker Smith.

Barr completed the scoring with a solo homer in the third.

Barr struck out four Tigers in the first five innings for the win. Blankenship again struck out four batters in the final two innings for the save.

“Will did a nice job on the mound,” said Coach Blankenship.

“Defensively, we played extremely well today. And, we put the ball in play when we needed to.”

First game

Ontario    1    0    0    0    0    1          2 — 4

Baker    3    1    1    0    0    2          x — 7

Gorrell, Blankenship (6) and Richards, Gorrell (6). WP – Gorrell. LP – Horn. S – Blankenship.

Baker hits – Everson 2, Gorrell 2, Smith, Richardson, Barr 2.

Baker RBI – Gorrell 2, Barr, Everson, Richardson.

3B – Richardson. HR – Gorrell.

Second game

Ontario    1    0    2    0    0    0          0 — 3

Baker    3    2    1    0    0    0          x — 6

Barr, Blankenship (6) and Gorrell. WP – Barr. LP – Martinez. S – Blankenship.

Baker hits – Blankenship, Smith, Barr, Gorrell, Richardson.

Baker RBI – Blankenship 2, Richardson, Smith, Barr.

HR – Barr.