Baker rallied in the sixth inning to nip the Grant Union/Prairie City/Monument Prospectors 5-4 in a nonleague baseball game Tuesday, April 23 at the Baker Sports Complex.

It was Baker’s second win over the Prospectors this season, both by one run. The Bulldogs won 8-7 on March 19 at John Day.

After Grant Union took a 4-3 lead with one run in the top of the sixth, Baker scored twice in the bottom of the inning. Ethan Fletcher and Jake McClaughry both scored when the Prospector third baseman misplayed Cole Richards’ bunt.

With Baker leading 5-4, Will O’Connell pitched a perfect seventh, inducing one groundout and two flyouts, to end the game.

O’Connell was the fifth Baker pitcher. McClaughry started and went two innings, striking out three. He was relieved by Colby Capon, who also pitched two innings, followed by Aldo Duran and Logan Crawford with one inning each.

“Against Grant Union we faced a good pitcher at the plate,” said head coach Tim Smith. “We executed the short game very well, getting bunts down when we needed to.”

“Pitching was above average but I feel we need more command from our bullpen in games like this where we are limited by pitch counts,” he said.

“Defensively, we played well most of the time, but had a few hiccups. We did not dwell on those mistakes and were able to stop their momentum,” said Smith.

“Ethan Fletcher and Jake McLaughry had good days at the plate,” he added.

Baker scored first, when McClaughry’s single scored Fletcher in the bottom of the second.

McClaughry and Capon didn’t allow a run in four innings.

Baker increased its lead to 2-0 in the fourth when Fletcher doubled to drive home Jaxon Logsdon.

The Prospectors broke through in the top of the fifth, scoring three times to lead 3-2.

Baker tied the score in the bottom of the fifth when Duran singled home Talon Gyllenberg.

Fletcher had three hits and scored twice. McClaughry had two hits, two RBIs and scored a run.

Baker, which improved to 5-11 on the season, resumes its Greater Oregon League schedule by traveling to La Grande Friday, April 26 for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m, and then hosts two home games against Parma, Idaho on Saturday, April 27th.