By GERRY STEELE

gsteele@bakercityherald.com

Top-ranked Baker had little trouble cruising past Crook County 21-7

Friday in a Class 4A baseball play-in game at the Baker Sports Complex.

With the win, Baker (21-3) qualified for the Class 4A state playoffs which begin Wednesday across the state.

“We pitched well and swung the bats well,” said Baker coach Dan Blankenship. “We had some great situational hitting.”

Coleman Lay allowed just one hit over four innings to gain the win. Lay struck out eight Cowboys.

Lay had not pitched for more than week after sitting out the Greater Oregon League season finale at Ontario with a minor injury.

“I’m glad we didn’t pitch Coleman against Ontario,” Blankenship said. “Today he had a real live arm. He had real good control of his pitches today.”

As usual Baker’s bats were hot, banging out 10 hits including four home runs.

Trevor Freese led the way with two homers and seven RBIs. Lay added a homer and five RBIs, and Dustin Hull a homer and four RBIs.

Lay got the ball rolling in the first inning. Freese opened the inning getting hit by a pitch and was sacrificed to second by Dillon Blankenship. Ty Everson then singled. Lay followed with his homer for a 3-0 Baker lead.

Baker erupted for 10 runs in the second inning.

Stephen Talbot walked and came around to score on a Freese single. A Blankenship bunt and Everson getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases. Will Barr then walked to drive home another run.

Lay rounded out to plate another run. Colten Richards then ripped a two-run double, and Justin Durflinger another run-scoring double. Talbot singled home another run before Freese laced a three-run homer.

The Bulldogs added eight runs in the fourth.

Freese singled, Everson reached on an error and Barr walked to load the bases. Lay also walked to drive home a run. Hull then pinch hit and lined a grand slam to clear the bases. Then, after Talbot was hit by a pitch and Jesse Brown reached on an error, Freese hit his second three-run homer.

Crook County 0 0 2 0 5 – 7

Baker 3 10 0 8 x – 21

Lay, Everson (5) and Richards. WP andndash; Lay (6-2).

Baker hits andndash; Freese 4, Everson, Lay, Richards, Durflinger, Hull, Talbot.

Baker RBI andndash; Freese 7, Lay 5, Richards 2, Durflinger, Hull 4, Bar, Talbot.

2B andndash; Richards, Durflinger. HR andndash; Freese 2, Lay, Hull.