Before the HRV softball team hosted a double header against Pendleton this past weekend, the Eagles were at home against Hermiston for the third of four meetings between the two schools this season.
Before the first pitch of HRV’s softball season, head coach Eric Keller said that this year’s team is “looking to make another run in the OSAA State Tournament.”
The race for the Columbia River Conference title is far from over, but at least one thing is now for certain: the HRV softball team has at least earned a play-in game at the conclusion of the regular season.
The Pendleton softball program has been the envy of the Columbia River Conference almost since the league’s formation, as the Buckaroos have won the CRC title every year since 2012 (although the Bucks did share the honor with HRV in 2014).
A hot start to Columbia River Conference plays for the HRV softball team continued Tuesday with the Eagles’ third consecutive victory over the Hermiston Bulldogs, this time in an 8-2 decision on the road.
Diving headfirst into play with early-season matchups against some tough 6A teams, the HRV softball team has been tested often through their 13 nonleague games and are anxious to move forward with their Columbia River Conference schedule.
Last year’s HRV softball team had an incredibly young roster, boasting just one senior and two juniors, and while this year’s squad only has four players from the class of 2017, the juniors and sophomores on the team are older, wiser, and ready to build on last year’s efforts.
