What’s a win?
Non-league conference opponents had no answer to that question when matched up against HRV softball this season.
However, the Eagles have had 12 different answers to that question as they’ve completed a full sweep of this year’s non-conference schedule, going 12-0 to start the season.
The Eagles are one of two undefeated teams remaining in 5A, the other being the Dallas Dragons softball program (13-0).
With the Eagles’ 10-0 win over Mountain View on Tuesday, March 10, HRV softball cracks a spot in the state’s top-three OSAA rankings for the first time this season, as they sit at the number three spot heading into conference play.
Against Mountain View, senior Kaylin Winans threw a gem as she picked up her second win of the season on the mound.
Winans in the shutout victory over Mountain View allowed only three hits over six innings, striking out four.
On the season, Winans is third on the team in strikeouts with 11.
With Winans dealing on the mound, all HRV had to do was show up at the plate, and they did exactly that.
In the first two innings of this game, HRV was held scoreless, but in the bottom of the third that would change with Morgan Baker leading off.
After fouling off the first pitch of the at-bat, Baker took the second pitch and drove it over the fence in left field for a solo shot, her first homerun of the season.
With the Eagles up 1-0, Morgan’s sister Haylee Baker reached first off a single in the following at-bat.
After the single, Haylee Baker stole second and third base to put herself into scoring position.
With Haylee Baker on third, Lauren Decker laid down a bunt to third base that advanced both girls safely; HRV 2-0.
Following back-to-back outs, Hannah McNerney drove in Decker for the third run of the inning as she hit a line drive to left field, Eagles 3-0.
After a scoreless fourth inning, HRV would bring out the yard stick once again in the bottom of the fifth.
In the first at-bat of the home half of the fifth, Decker singled to center field, bringing up Zoe Munn.
Munn, with a full count, hit a two-run homerun to left field on the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Eagles 5-0.
Three batters later, déjà vu.
With Makenzie Chambers on second base, Winans drove a ball over the left field fence for the second two-run homerun of the inning, Eagles 7-0.
In the following inning, HRV would end this game picking up their 12th win of the season.
Munn, the lead-off hitter of the bottom of the sixth, was walked on a 4-1 count bringing up Chambers.
Again, the Eagles saw another ball fly over the fence into left field as Chambers hit the Eagles’ third two-run homerun of the game, Eagles 9-0.
Maybe a better question to open this piece was, what’s a homerun?
The Eagles had four ways to answer that question against Mountain View.
HRV ended the game with three straight singles, including Annalee Anglin’s game winning single on a two-out rally, Eagles 10-0.
Against Mountain View, HRV totaled 13 hits and 10 RBIs (see charts).
On Saturday, April 14 HRV opens Columbia River Conference play with a double header in Hermiston. Hermiston is currently 7-3 on the season and is ranked sixth in the state.
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