ATHENA — Weston-McEwen and Grant Union have one of the most competitive rivalries in 2A/1A softball, but the TigerScots had the upper hand Saturday in sweeping the Prospectors 4-1 and 12-1 in a Blue Mountain Conference doubleheader at Athena Memorial Ballpark.

“These games were played in sunshine, rain and a prevailing 10-mph wind depending on the moment,” Weston-McEwen coach Jeff Griggs said. “In the first game, we struggled to get RBIs, stranding 10 runners. In the second game, the hitters came through at key moments, posting runs and clearing bases. We have a long history playing Grant Union in the postseason. They’re a quality program, so the wins mean a lot.”

The teams have played each other in the past three 2A/1A state championship games, with Grant Union taking the title each time.

In the first game, the top-ranked TigerScots ace Bre Ward dominated in the circle, allowing one run on three hits while striking out 14 and walking six.

Weston-McEwen (7-1 overall, 3-0 BMC) scored two runs in the first as Ward blasted a double to right field.

In the fourth, the TigerScots scored two runs off back-to-back bases-loaded walks.

Grant Union (2-6-1, 3-0) scored its lone run in the top of the fifth as Gracee Hueckman hit an RBI double. 

Hope Berry and Lily Langford also hit doubles for the TigerScots, while Reagan Pickard hit a triple.

Grace Kenyon took the loss, giving up four runs on 10 hits while striking out two and walking seven.

In the second game, Ward dominated at the plate and in the circle, and Olivia Sargent drove in four runs as the TigerScots left from start to finish.

Ward hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give Weston-McEwen a 2-0 lead.

Holding a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the third, Sargent smacked a  double to left field to put two runners across the plate for a 6-1 lead.

In the fourth, Langford hit an RBI triple for a 7-1 lead, then stole home to make it 8-1. A double by Ward extended the lead to 9-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sargent hit a two-run single to finish off the scoring.

“I was really proud of freshman Olivia Sargent, who started her first varsity game today at first base while hitting 3-for-6 with two doubles and five RBIs,” Griggs said. “She really stepped up to the occasion today.”

Ward allowed one run on four hits while striking out 10. She also drove in three runs.

“We certainly have a long list of things to work on, but we’ll keep at it and get better each week with these motivated players,” Griggs said.

Weston-McEwen will play on Tuesday at Heppner.

PENDLETON 15, JUNCTION CITY 1 (5) — Avery Quaempts went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs to help the Bucks to a win over the Tigers at Creswell High School.

Pendleton opened the game with two runs in the first inning as Maryn Broker and Kelsi Primus hit RBI singles.

The Bucks (7-4) added six runs in the third, starting with a fielder’s choice by Katelyn Boatman that brought in one run. A groundout by Primus gave Pendleton a 4-1 lead. A two-run triple by Finley Evans finished off the inning, leaving the Bucks with an 8-1 lead.

Quaempts hit a solo home run in the fourth and hit a two-run single in the fifth.

Evans went 3-for-4 with two triples and two RBIs, while Primus was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Pendleton had 14 hits on the day.

Broker pitched a complete game, allowing one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.

MARIST CATHOLIC 11, PENDLETON 6 — The Spartans pounded out 15 hits and took advantage of five errors in a win over the Bucks at Creswell High School.

Marist Catholic led 6-1 after three innings, then added four more runs in the fourth to pull away.

Pendleton scored one run in the second on a bases-loaded walk, then added one more in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Katelyn Boatman.

Trailing 11-2 heading into the seventh, Pendleton scored four runs in the top of the inning, but would fall short.

Avery Quaempts, Kelsi Primus and Cambria VanNice all hit RBI singles, while Tatum Lambert had a sacrifice fly.

Shaylor Fisher took the loss for the Bucks, allowing 11 runs on 15 hits while walking three and striking out none.

PILOT ROCK 12, COUNTRY CHRISTIAN 9 — Kashley Golden and Steve Osborn each drove in four runs to lead the Rockets to a road win over the Cougars in Molalla.

Fifth-ranked Pilot Rock scored twice in the first inning off a triple by Osborn, and three times in the second for a 5-1 lead. In the fourth, Golden hit a three-run triple in the Rockets’ four-run outburst.

The Cougars chipped away at the lead and pulled into a 9-9 tie with one run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Pilot Rock put together three runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by a two-run double by Osborn, to secure the win.

Paige Hansen hit two doubles for the Rockets, while Gracee Hemphill had one.

KENNEDY 14, PILOT ROCK 4 (5) — The second-ranked Trojans scored eight runs in the third inning to take control of the game early and hand the visiting Rockets (11-1) their first loss of the season.

Brianna Traeger went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs, and Addison Koffler went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBIs for Kennedy (5-2).

Koffler also picked up the win, allowing four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Stevee Osborn went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs for Pilot Rock, while Hailey Thieme was 2-for-2 with two RBIs.

Coley Gibbs took the loss, allowing 14 runs on 18 hits. She struck out one and walked two.

Track and field

Wyatt Parsons was the fastest man in town at the La Grande Invitational, winning the 100, 200 and anchoring the 4×100 relay team to lead Weston-McEwen to second place in the boys’ team standings.

Parsons, who owns the fastest 2A time in the state in the 100 at 10.87,  ran an impressive 10.88 Saturday and was the only runner under 11 seconds. Union’s Jackson Davenport was second with a time of 11.41.

In the 200, Parsons ran a state best at the 2A level with a winning time of 22.24, more than a second faster than teammate Tristan Weseman (23.86), who was second.

Weseman led off the 4×100 relay, followed by Logan Ray and Colby Perkins, who handed the baton to Parsons, who crossed the finish line in a time of 44.09, a couple of steps ahead of La Grande (45.54).

Parsons finished his day with a second-place showing in the long jump with a mark of 20-8 1/4. Weseman won the event with a leap of 20-10 1/2, while Perkins was sixth (18-11 1/2). Weseman was also second in the high jump (5-10).

La Grande won the team title with 162 points, while the TigerScots compiled 109 points. Union was a distant third with 67, and Umatilla was fourth with 50. Riverside was sixth with 40 points, while Heppner and Mac-Hi tied for eighth with 28 points, Imbler was 10th (24), Elgin was 11th (18.5) and Griswold was 16th (4.5).

Arden Shaul picked up big points in the distance races, placing second in the 1,500 (4:17.26) and fourth in the 800 (2:06.52). Shaul also teamed up with Perkins, Dayton Monaco and Ray to place sixth  in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:52.90.

Monaco also was eighth in the 400 (55.43), while Michael White was fifth in the 300 hurdles (46.93).

In the field events, Jace Dunlap was third in the shot put with a PR of 47-10 for the  TigerScots, while Cason Pettyjohn was eighth (40-3). Dunlap also was seventh in the javelin (130-11).

Monaco and Ray tied for sixth in the high jump at 5-6, while Ray was fourth in the triple jump (37-9 1/2) and Monaco was sixth (37-0 3/4).

La Grande ran away with the girls’ team title with 177 points, with Weston-McEwen second with 95.5. Imbler was fourth with 69.5 points, while Union was fifth (61.5), Umatilla sixth (49), Heppner seventh (42.5), Mac-Hi eighth (36), Elgin 10th (15), Riverside 11th (9) and Pilot Rock 14th (1).

Addy Hall was a triple winner for Weston-McEwen, taking top honors in the 100 (13.36), the 100 hurdles (17.08), and the 300 hurdles (47.35), which she won by nearly 3 seconds. She also was third in the long jump with a leap of 15-4 3/4.

Charlotte Hansell added a fourth-place finish in the 100 (13.756) for the TigerScots. She also was second in the triple jump (31-2 3/4) and fifth in the long jump (15-1 3/4).

Hansell teamed up with Brooklyn Parker, Penelopy Rawlings and Bree Perkins to place third in the 4×100 relay with a time of 54.23.

Parker, Rawlings, Perkins and Stella Wolf finished fifth in the 4×400 relay with a time of 4:36.51.

Rawlings was also fifth in the high jump (4-6), while Perkins was sixth (4-4) and fifth in the triple jump (29-6).

Sydney Carey finished second in the shot put with a mark of 31-2 1/2, while Mylie Garrett was fourth (29-11 1/2) and Elsie Sprenger sixth (28-1). In the discus, Carey was fifth (86-9) while Garrett was seventh (85-8).

Aubrey Corwin earned Pilot Rock’s one point with an eighth-place finish in the discus (80-3).

WILSONVILLE INVITATIONAL — Pendleton ran into some tough competition at the Wilsonville Invitational, but John Thatcher had an outstanding day, winning the 400 with a personal best time of 49.06, and placing sixth in the 200 (22.93).

William Michael soared above the competition in the pole vault with a height of 13-6. Teammate Zeland Gardner was sixth at 10-6.

Quinn Kennedy added a third-place finish in the high jump (5-10), and was fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 41-5.

In the javelin, the Bucks picked up points as Jaren Yoskioka was third with a throw of 153-10, while Jubal Hoisington was seventh with a toss of 146-8.

Tualatin won the boys’ team title with 88.5 points, while Corvallis was second (65) and Lakeridge third (64.5). Pendleton was seventh with 45 points.

Kayle Smith led the Pendleton girls, placing third in the pole vault with a height of 8-6. McKinley Lieuallen was third in the javelin with a PR of 102-2, and teammate Braelyn Gunter was fourth with a PR of 102-1.

Hazel Case added a sixth-place finish in the long jump (15-0 1/2), and was eighth in the 200 with a PR of 26.65.

Tualatin took home the girls’ title with 83.5 points, with Reynolds second (62) and Franklin third (52.5). Pendleton was 12th with 21 points.