BAKER/POWDER VALLEY/PINE EAGLE SOFTBALL: Raegan Gulick strikes out 10 in complete game as Bulldogs down Crook County 9-3
Published 5:24 pm Saturday, April 5, 2025
Baker shortstop Colbi Bachman tags out Crook County's Kya Mozingo at second base on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Colbi Bachman fouls off a pitch against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Jaxyn Ramos swings against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Kaitlyn Dixon breaks for home against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Macey Morgan squeezes a strike from pitcher Raegan Gulick against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Macey Morgan waits for a pitch against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Oakley Anderson lays down a bunt against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Bakers Oakley Anderson slides safely into home against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker third baseman Paityn Barr tags a Crook County runner on April 5, 2025. The runner was called safe. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Paityn Barr gets a hit against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Raegan Gulick pitches against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Baker's Reagan Ritter watches a low pitch against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)
Raegan Gulick didn’t need a lot of help from the offense, and she nearly supplied enough with her own bat on Saturday, April 5, at the Baker Sports Complex.
The junior pitcher struck out 10 Crook County batters and allowed only one earned run as the Baker/Powder Valley/Pine Eagle softball team, playing at home for the first time this season, routed the Cowgirls 9-3 on a sunny afternoon.
In addition to stifling the Crook County bats, Gulick drove in two runs with a double in the bottom of the third as Baker plated five runs to boost its lead to 8-1.
The Bulldogs led 9-1 before Crook County scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Gulick accounted for two of the three outs, including a diving catch of a pop up on the first base line.
“That was a satisfying win,” Baker coach Steve Bachman said. “Nice to see all three phases come together. An excellent job on the mound, we played great defensively and our hitting was great. Our base running was phenomenal.”
Baker rebounded from a 9-5 loss a day earlier at Grant Union, when the Bulldogs got as close as 5-4 against the two-time defending Class 2A/1A state champions.
Crook County’s Claire Leseman led off the game with a double to right field, but Baker ended the threat when shortstop Colbi Bachman snared a line drive and forced out Leseman, who had led off from second base.
Gulick then recorded her first strikeout to end the inning.
Baker scored two runs in the bottom of the first. Maylee Martin led off with a bunt single. She stole second and scored when an infielder made a throwing error on Bachman’s ground ball. Jaxyn Ramos, who had walked earlier, scored on the same play.
Chloe McKenzie cut the lead in half with a home run in the top of the second.
Baker got the run right back in the bottom of the inning on Oakley Anderson’s single, scoring Paityn Barr, who had tripled to deep right center field to lead off the inning.
After a leadoff double in the top of the third, Gulick struck out the side.
With Baker leading 3-1, the Bulldogs broke open the game with five runs in the bottom of the third. Ramos led off with a double, and after Bachman and Morgan loaded the bases, Gulick doubled to score two runs. Barr had a sacrifice fly, and Baker also scored two runs on errors.
Baker added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, to lead 9-1, after four consecutive walks.
Gulick, meanwhile, was in control, holding the Cowgirls scoreless from the second through the sixth innings.
Coach Bachman said the Bulldogs have been plagued by errors in recent games, but they had just three against Crook County.
Baker made several difficult plays, including four assists by Bachman, including the final out.
Baker, 3-4 on the season, opens the Greater Oregon League schedule by traveling to La Grande on Tuesday, April 8, for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
About Jayson Jacoby | Baker City Herald
Jayson has worked at the Baker City Herald since November 1992, starting as a reporter. He has been editor since December 2007. He graduated from the University of Oregon Journalism School in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in news-editorial journalism.
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