HERMISTON, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon Mountaineers split day one of the series with the Warner Pac Knights. The Knights took game one 10-2, Mountaineers rallied and took game two 6-2.
Game 1: Warner Pacific 10, Eastern Oregon 2
Warner Pacific took game one 10-2 in the first game of the doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Hermiston High School.
The Knights broke the game open early, taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning and extending it to 4-0 in the third. They continued to build on their advantage with multi-run innings in the sixth and eighth frames, eventually securing the 10-2 victory.
Eastern Oregon struggled to generate consistent offense in game one, recording just two runs on eight hits. The Mounties' lone runs came in the fifth and eighth innings. Trevor Baker's solo home run in the fifth was the team's highlight, cutting the deficit to 5-1, but Warner Pacific responded quickly with two more runs in the sixth to push the score to 7-1.
Warner Pacific's offensive effort was led by Mason Deverna, who drove in two runs with a home run in the sixth, and Connor Hale, who doubled in an insurance run in the eighth.
Game 2: Eastern Oregon 6, Warner Pacific 2
In game two, Eastern Oregon capitalized on a five-run rally in the eighth inning to defeat Warner Pacific 6-2.
The game remained scoreless through the first three innings, with both teams battling it out defensively. Eastern Oregon's Will Seslar tossed seven shutout innings, allowing four hits, one walk, and striking out nine batters.
The Mountaineers broke the deadlock in the fourth inning when Greyson McDaniel drove in Mason Van Arsdall on a sacrifice fly. Warner Pacific responded in the top of the eighth when Mitchell Thomas-Britt launched a solo homer to right field, tying the game at 1-1. However, Eastern Oregon responded in the bottom half of the inning with a five-run rally.
Parker Cumberland sparked the rally with a double down the left field line, followed by an error by Warner Pacific's third baseman, which allowed Van Arsdall to reach base. A single by Alex Olague brought home Cumberland, and then Danny Burns added another run with a single of his own, giving EOU a 3-1 lead. The Mountaineers continued to capitalize as a wild pitch brought in another run, and a single by Tyler Balkenbush capped the five-run outburst.
Despite a strong effort from Warner Pacific's bullpen in the final frame, EOU's pitching held steady. Zakaia Michaels came in to relieve Seslar in the eighth and allowed one earned run but ultimately sealed the win for Eastern Oregon.
Key performers for the Mountaineers included Danny Burns, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Parker Cumberland, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Eastern Oregon is back at it tomorrow at 11 a.m. for another doubleheader against the Knights, back in La Grande at Optimist Field, weather permitting.
