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.
The first two games between HRV and Hermiston were split to even the season series at 1-1; HRV suffered its first loss of the season against Hermiston.
In the third game on Thursday, April 19, HRV dominated the Bulldogs, winning by a final score of 8-0 to take a 2-1 series lead.
Hannah McNerney was dealing on the mound for HRV as she went seven innings and allowed only four hits, striking out eight and walking one.
McNerney also got things started for the Eagles on the scoreboard, knocking in two-runs in the first inning off a triple.
The Eagles held on to a 3-0 lead through the first three innings of the game.
In the fourth inning, HRV found their bats once again.
A Haylee Baker double scored the first of four HRV runs in the fourth.
Zoe Munn brought in the second run of the inning with a double, McNerney knocked in the third run on a single and the fourth run was scored off a Hermiston error; 7-0 HRV.
The eighth HRV run came in the bottom of the sixth as Munn hit a single, driving in the final run of the game.
The 8-0 victory for the Eagles moved HRV to 2-1 in Columbia River Conference play and 14-1 on the season.
Against Hermiston, HRV totaled six RBIs and collected 12 hits as a team.
McNerney lead the way with a team-high three RBIs and two hits; including a triple.
With a team-high three hits was Baker who went 4-4 in the batter’s box; she also tallied in one RBI.
Munn and Kaylin Winans had the two other RBIs on the day versus Hermiston.
After a tough three-game stretch versus Hermiston, things didn’t get any easier for HRV as they welcomed Pendleton, currently the number one ranked team in the state, for a double header on Saturday, April 21.
The Eagles headed into this game with a 14-1 record, while the Buckaroos were breathing down their backs with a 13-1 record.
Despite HRV collecting more hits then Pendleton in the first game of the double header, the Buckaroos came away with a 7-3 victory over the Eagles.
HRV claimed an early lead over the Buckaroos, going up 2-0 after the first two innings.
But a five-run third inning for Pendleton put this game away.
McNerney took the loss on the mound for HRV. She pitched seven innings and gave up seven runs on six hits, striking out nine.
Also, HRV’s defense accounted for five total errors, the highest error total this year for the girls.
The seven HRV hits on the day were more than Pendleton’s six, but the inability to bring in runners and the struggles in the field for HRV ultimately led them to their 7-3 loss.
Munn, Baker and Winans each had one of the Eagles’ three RBI’s on the day, while Munn, Baker and Lauren Decker lead the Eagles in hits with two each.
In the final game of the double header, HRV nearly held on to a late lead to split the day 1-1 versus Pendleton, but a three-run seventh inning by the Buckaroos gave Pendleton a 6-5 victory over HRV.
Again, despite out-hitting Pendleton nine to seven, HRV was unable to come away with the victory, moving the Eagles to 2-3 in conference and 14-3 on the season.
Pendleton is currently 5-0 in conference and 15-1 overall.
In the second game of the day, Pendleton took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning.
The first half of this game was dominated on the mound and in the field for both sides and heading into the fifth inning Pendleton had still led by a one-run margin; 1-0 Pendleton.
However, the HRV bats exploded onto the scene in the fifth inning.
Baker, Munn, Winans and Makenzie Chambers each brought in at least one of the five HRV runs scored in the inning; Munn hit a two-run single.
Heading into the final two innings of the game, HRV had taken a commanding 5-1 lead over Pendleton.
But the Buckaroos rallied to score two runs in the second and three runs in the seventh, including a two-run homerun in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead over HRV, to come away with the sweep in Saturday’s double header.
Winans started the game for HRV and lasted five and two-thirds innings. During her time on the mound, Winans gave up three runs on five hits, striking out one and walking one.
McNerney came in for relief and took the loss for HRV. She went one and one-thirds innings and allowed three runs on five hits, striking out one and walking one.
Baker led the Eagles offensively as she had three hits in four at bats, including one RBI.
Despite going 1-4 at the plate, Munn made the most of her one hit on the day as she had a team-high two RBIs.
Next up for the Eagles was a rematch of Saturday’s double header versus the Buckaroos; HRV traveled to Pendleton on Tuesday, April 24 (results unavailable at press time).
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.