Baker's Colbi Bachman fouls off a pitch against Crook County on April 5, 2025. (Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald)

The Baker/Powder Valley/Pine Eagle softball team tuned up for its Class 4A play-in game with a confidence-boosting rout of Umatilla, 15-5 in six innings on Wednesday, May 21, at the Baker Sports Complex.

Trailing 2-1 after three innings, the Bulldogs bolted ahead for good with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, then added six more in the fifth to lead 13-5.

Baker added two more runs in the sixth, on Colbi Bachman’s two-run home run, to end the game by 10-run rule.

Baker, which ended the regular season winning four of five games, plays host to Crook County on Friday, May 23, at 5 p.m. The winner advances to the state playoffs.

Baker beat Crook County 9-3 on April 5 in the Bulldogs’ home opener.

In Wednesday’s nonleague game against Umatilla, Baker overcame a slow start to break the game open in the fourth.

Emily Sullivan singled with one out, Oakley Anderson walked and Maylee Martin singled on a bunt to load the bases.

Bachman drew a walk to drive in one run and tie the score at 2.

Jaxyn Ramos then sigled to drive in two runs and give Baker the lead for good, 4-2.

After the second out, Macey Morgan had the inning’s biggest blow, a line drive to center field that cleared the wall and the bases for a three-run homer.

Umatilla trimmed the lead to 7-5 with three runs in the top of the fifth, but Baker quickly regained the momentum in the bottom of the inning.

Hannah Sullivan led off with a single, Claire Collier walked, and Anderson drove in both runners with a single to make it 9-5.

Ramos drove in a run with a single, and Kaitlyn Dixon came home on an error.

Ramos scored the final run of the inning when Umatilla misplayed Morgan’s fly ball to center field.

The bottom of the sixth ended quickly.

Martin led off with a triple, and Bachman followed with her game-ending home run on the second pitch.