MARSING, Idaho — The lightning bolt was not an encouraging sign for Baker softball coach Sonny Gulick.

But the clouds parted before the first pitch, and after that most of the noise came from the Bulldogs’ bats.

Baker, playing for the first time in a week, scored 17 runs in the first two innings and went on to rout Marsing 24-5 on Wednesday, April 13.

The Bulldogs improved their season record to 5-4.

During a week when the weather more resembled January than mid April, Gulick said he felt fortunate that Baker was able to get in a game for the first time since April 6, when the Bulldogs dropped a doubleheader at Mac-Hi to open the Greater Oregon League season.

But until the bus arrived in Marsing, he wasn’t sure it would happen.

“I was saying that about the only thing we didn’t have on the trip was a tornado,” Gulick said.

The weather improved when the Bulldogs passed through Caldwell, though, and for the first two innings there was sunshine and, perhaps more important, little wind.

Baker took advantage of the relatively pleasant conditions.

Leadoff hitter Kiley Jo Aldrich was hit by a pitch, and Brooklyn Rayl reached on an error. Makayla Rabourne singled to score Rayl, Kaycee Cuzick singled to score Rabourne, and courtesy runner Kaydence Thomas scored on Kaci Anderson’s double.

Ashlyn Dalton and Sydney Fry later scored on passed balls as Baker led 7-1 after one inning.

Baker added to its lead with 10 more runs in the second.

Cuzick and Kaci Anderson both walked, and Anderson and Thomas, as a courtesy runner, both scored on wild pitches.

After Dalton doubled, Fry singled and Aldrich was hit by a pitch, Rayl and Candace Peterson had RBI singles.

Gulick said he was pleased with Baker batters taking advantage of Marsing’s mistakes.

“I thought we did a good job of that all day,” he said. “I was very happy. Everybody got the ball in play.”

Gulick was equally satisfied with Baker’s pitching performances.

Given Baker’s long gap between games, he said his goal was to have four pitchers throw. Cuzick started in the circle, with relievers Te’ygan Coley, Rayl and Rabourne all coming on in relief.

Baker pitchers allowed just four hits and two walks.

Gulick said Rabourne had a strong fifth inning, throwing strikes on 11 of 17 pitches.

Rayl and Rabourne both went 3 for 5 with two RBIs. Peterson was 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs, and Emrie Osborn was 1 for 2 with 2 RBIs.

Baker was slated to return to its league schedule by playing host to Ontario in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 15.

Despite the wintry weather — about 2 inches of snow fell in Baker City early Thursday — Gulick was optimistic that the Ontario games would be played.

“Our field has always been pretty good about holding water,” he said.

Gulick said the Bulldogs practiced on their field the afternoon of Tuesday, April 12, even though there was snow on the ground that morning.