Hood River softball sweeps The Dalles, clinches play-in berth

HRV hosted The Dalles Tuesday evening (results unavailable at press time), and then travel to Hermiston Friday night.

HRV 12 at The Dalles 0

Pitcher Hannah McNerney helped lead the Eagles to their most dominant victory of the season, skunking The Dalles 12-0 in the opener of Tuesday’s doubleheader that ended after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. She struck out 11 and gave up just three hits.

“Hannah seems to get stronger on the mound with each pitch,” noted HRV Head Coach Eric Keller. “She was able to spot all of her pitches and keep The Dalles off balance.”

All of HRV’s 12 runs came in just two innings, including an eight-run salvo in the top of the first that set the tone for the remainder of the game, which included a four-run effort in the fourth. Lauren Decker was nearly perfect at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three singles, two RBIs, and a stolen base.

“Lauren was spectacular at the plate spotting the ball where she wanted and kept their defense off balance,” Keller said. “She made a crucial diving play in the outfield to seal the game.”

Also contributing to HRV’s 10 hits were Haylee Baker (2-for-3 singles), Kaylin Winans (2-for-4, singles, two RBIs), Lizzy Weekly (1-for-3, single, RBI), Emilie Ellifritz (1-for-2, double), and Makena Zeller (1-for-3, single, two RBIs). Makenzie Chambers was credited with an RBI after getting hit by a pitch with bases loaded, McNerney garnered an RBI for the same reason, and Zoe Munn had an RBI on a bases-loaded walk.

HRV 8 at The Dalles 2

Keller said his team’s confidence continued to grow after putting up an eight-spot in the first inning and that confidence carried over into the closing game of the twin bill. This time, however, the majority of HRV’s offense came at the end of the game, with five runs in the top of the seventh to add to the Eagles’ 3-1 advantage they had already built. The Dalles kept it a little closer, allowing runs in the first, third, and fifth innings, and were able to increase their hits to seven (HRV had 10), but struggled with mistakes — in two games, the Riverhawks totaled eight errors.

Zeller had the biggest hit of the night in either game, closing the game out with a two-run homer to left field. Decker had another solid performance, going 2-for-4 (singles) and stealing two bases, as did McNerney (2-for-4, singles, RBI), and Winans (2-for-3, singles, two RBIs). Munn and Weekly each had a single in their four at bats, while Chambers had an RBI double in one of her three.

Winans was the starting pitcher for the Eagles and was credited with the win, going four innings, striking out six, and surrendering three hits. McNerney relieved her for two innings, throwing a one-hitter while striking out four, and Decker closed it down with three hits, a strikeout, and an earned run.