La Grande showed why it’s one of the top Class 4A softball teams on Friday, April 26, dominating a doubleheader against Baker/Powder Valley at La Grande.

The Tigers won 11-0 and 11-6.

“The No. 4-ranked Tigers are a very good team,” Baker coach Sonny Gulick said. “Overall for the day I liked our approach at the plate, and I was very happy with our defense.”

The Bulldogs wore pink shirts in honor of Cade McKinley, a La Grande baseball player recently diagnosed with cancer. The shirts had “Cade Strong” and “Fight with a purpose” mottos.

“It was good to see all of the support for Cade,” Gulick said.

Baker travels to Nyssa for a 4 p.m. PDT nonleague game on Tuesday, April 30, then returns home for a league doubleheader against Pendleton on Friday, May 3 starting at 2 p.m.

At La Grande, Game 1

Kellee Dixon had the Bulldogs’ only hit, a single in the second inning.

The game was close through three innings, with the Tigers leading 4-0, but they erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth.

The game ended by 10-run rule in the fifth.

“(Reagan) Ritter started in the circle for us and threw well,” Gulick said. “In the fourth they made some adjustments and had a big inning.”

Despite having only one hit, Gulick said the Bulldogs did better against La Grande pitcher Carlee Strand than they did in a twinbill loss at Baker on April 2.

“We did a much better job of putting the ball in play and had several quality at bats,” Gulick said.

At La Grande, Game 2

After scoring only one run in the three previous losses to La Grande, the Bulldogs got their offense going.

Baker led 4-2 after scoring twice in the top of the third.

Brooklyn Rayl and Colbi Bachman each had an RBI, driving home Lilly Wilson and Raegan Gulick.

Baker also scored twice in the second on Macey Morgan’s home run, which plated Kellee Dixon, who had opened the inning with a single.

But the Tigers answered with another big inning, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the third.

“Brooklyn Rayl started in the circle and she did a nice job keeping them off balance in the first couple of innings,” Gulick said.

Baker scored two more runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 10-4. But La Grande held the Bulldogs scoreless the final two innings while scoring six more runs to end the game after six innings.

“I was very proud of the the approach at the plate,” Gulick said. “We forced La Grande to make a pitching change.”