Box Score BOX SCORE
LA GRANDE, Ore. – A high scoring affair between two of the top teams in the Frontier Conference, Eastern Oregon and Rocky Mountain College, ended one-sided.
Rocky Mountain came into Community Stadium and recorded an impressive offensive day. They were able to gain 392 yards of total offense while tallying 51 points.
Quarterback Bryce Baker was the focal point for the Battlin' Bears offense. He was 10-18 for 192 yards and four touchdowns. More impressively, Baker rushed for a game-high 97 yards on 18 attempts. Receiver AJ Tolbert helped the offense out by catching four balls for a game-high 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Rocky Mountain started off their impressive offensive day with a 9-play drive that ended with a Knell field goal. After a Eastern three-and-out, Rocky Mountain marched down the field for a 7-play 59 yard scoring drive that ended in a Scharbrough touchdown. After a Ware interception, Rocky Mountain capitalized with a Baker to Lee 25-yard touchdown pass to put Rocky up 17-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Eastern responded with a Ware rushing touchdown to narrow the gap to 17-7 early in the second quarter. Not long after Rocky Mountain's Baker tosses a 67-yard touchdown pass to Tolbert to make the lead 17 points. After a successful onside kick, Rocky Mountain comes away with three courtesy of Knell putting them ahead 27-7. Another Eastern three-and-out set up a Baker to Tolbert touchdown pass which made the score 34-7. At the end of the half there was life on the Eastern sideline as they drove down the field to make a field goal and end the half down 34-10.
To open the third quarter Eastern stalls on their drive, and Rocky capitalizes with a Baker to Sutton touchdown pass to make the score 41-10. On Eastern's next drive Ware fumbles in the redzone and Rocky recovers to set up a Knell field goal. An Eastern interception was returned 65 yards for a touchdown by Fitzgerald.
The Eastern offense ended the game with a good offensive drive of 13 plays for 73 yards and a Walser rushing touchdown, which put the final at 51-10 in favor of Rocky Mountain.
Miscues were a big reason why Eastern fell behind early and could never catch up. Between 3 interceptions and a fumble, Rocky Mountain scored 21 points off turnovers. Also, Ware was sacked four times and under duress all game.
Ware ended the game 15-28 for 196 yards and two interceptions.
Sean Hurlbut was Eastern's leading rusher gaining 44 yards on 10 carries.
Jake Burroughs led the receiving core with three catches for 40 yards.
On the defensive side,
Joe Brunet led the team in tackles with 12 and
Howard McDonald finished with 11.
Eastern Oregon will travel to Ashland, Ore. to face Southern Oregon University in a non-conference matchup starting at 1 p.m. next Saturday Oct. 8.
