HERMISTON — For 79 minutes, Hermiston shut down the top boys soccer team in the Mid-Columbia Conference.

Chiawana’s Gio Mendoza scored with one minute left in the game off a corner kick by Alfredo Jimenez, to eke out a 1-0 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday, April 6, at Kennison Field in Hermiston.

“It was a battle,” Hermiston coach Ricardo Sotelo said. “Our game plan was to try to hold them to the least amount of goals possible. We battled for 80 minutes with the top team in the conference. Our boys showed they can play with the big dogs.”

The Riverhawks improved to 9-0 on the season, while the Bulldogs fell to 4-5. The last time the teams met on March 9, the Riverhawks won 3-1 in Pasco.

Saturday’s game was scoreless in the first half, but the Bulldogs had a golden opportunity to score.

“We had a free kick by Angel Cadenas that led to an amazing save by their keeper,” Sotelo said.

In the second half, the Bulldogs had scoring opportunities by Ruben Mendez and Abel Alatorre, but Chiawana keeper Moises Nino turned them away.

Hermiston goalkeeper Gabriel Lara had eight saves on the day.

“He had a crucial double save with about 8 minutes left,” Sotelo said. “He stepped up big. It was a good game.”

Softball

PENDLETON 22-10, REDMOND 1-0 — Melanie Boatman went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and four RBIs to lead the Bucks to a road win in the first game of their doubleheader against the Panthers.

Redmond took an early 1-0 after the first quarter, but that would be all Pendleton would allow.

The Bucks (8-3) then scored nine runs in the second, four in the third, and nine more in the fourth to invoke the mercy rule.

In the second, Maryn Broker hit a two-run double, Madeline Schumacher hit an RBI triple, and Avery Quaempts hit a two-run double to give Pendleton a 9-1 lead.

Boatman hit her triple in the fourth inning, sending two runs across the plate, and Avery Krigbaum belted a bases-clearing double to center field that put the Bucks out front 19-1. Kelsi Primus finished the scoring with a two-run single.

Krigbaum had three hits on the day, and drove in four runs. The Bucks had 19 hits and no strikeouts for the game.

Reese Furstenberg pitched all four innings, scattering two hits and striking out nine.

Pendleton completed the sweep as Furstenberg threw a two-hitter over six innings, striking out 11 and walking three in the second game.

The Bucks hit four home runs in the game, with Melanie Boatman hitting two, and Furstenberg and Quaempts each having one.

Boatman hit a solo home run to open the game, then added a three-run shot in the sixth inning to give the Bucks a 9-0 lead.

Quaempts hit a solo shot in the sixth inning, while Furstenberg also hit a solo shot in the sixth to end the scoring.

Furstenberg also hit two doubles and drove in three runs, while Boatman drove in six runs.

WESTON-MCEWEN 16-15, ELGIN/IMBLER 2-1 — Kylie Kramer had three hits and drove in three runs to help the TigerScots to a Special District 7 road win over the Huskies in the first game of their doubleheader.

W-M (7-0 overall, 3-0 SD7) jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning, and kept building from there. The TigerScots scored eight runs in the fifth inning to invoke the mercy rule.

In the fifth, Cara Freels led off the scoring with an RBI single, the next run scored on an error, a hit by Ava Sams resulted in two runs, a single by Hailey Stallings made it 13-1, and a single by Kramer made it 14-1.

Freels finished off the inning with a single that scored two runs.

Bailey Moore and Are Ward each hit triples for W-M, while Kramer had four stolen bases.

Ward picked up the win, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out seven.

In the second game, Stallings pitched five innings, allowing one run on two hits as the TigerScots completed the sweep.

Sams, Moore and Kramer each hit doubles, while Kramer drove in four runs, and Janie Helfrecht had three RBIs.

Like the first game, W-M got out to an early lead and never let up. The TigerScots led 6-0 after the first inning, 9-0 after two, and 15-1 after four.

“I was very proud of our girls today,” W-M coach Jeff Griggs said. “They showed up ready to play and worked together. We hit up and down the order and helped each other offensively on the base paths. Our younger players had batting opportunities as well. Many thanks to our parents who drove over snow-covered roads to support and feed the players.”

VALE 20-21, RIVERSIDE 0-5 — The Vikings swept the Pirates in the Eastern Oregon League opener for both teams in Boardman.

Payton Perry pitched a perfect game for Vale in the opener, a game that lasted just three innings.

Brogan Payne hit a three-run home run in the second inning for the Vikings, while Izzy Maag hit a two-run shot, also in the second.

In the second game, Riverside led 3-1 after the first inning, but the lead would be short lived as Vale scored 10 runs in the second and eight in the fourth to take control of the game.

Chloe Gomez went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBIs for the Pirates, while Maycee Strebin and Maddyn Morton each hit a single.

The Vikings had just seven hits, but took advantage of nine Riverside errors and nine walks.

GRANT UNION 10-17, ECHO/STANFIELD 0-2 — The defending 3A state champion Prospectors haven’t lost a step from last season.

They scored 27 runs over the course of two games to sweep the Cougars in Special District 7 play in John Day.

“They are ranked No. 1 in the state and were last year’s state champion,” Echo/Stanfield coach Saul Castro said. “They are good. Playing them, you have to play a clean game, and we didn’t get it done today.”

In the opener GU’s Drew Williams threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks.

Nevaeh Thew had the lone hit for the Cougars, a single in the third inning.

Mazie Reeser pitched a complete game for Echo/Stanfield, allowing 10 hits with six strikeouts and three walks. The Cougars committed five errors.

For GU, Halle Parsons hit a home run and had five RBIs, while Reece Jacobs hit a solo home run.

In the second game, Thew hit a solo home run in the third inning, while Mykael Graham went 2-for-2 with two doubles, and Kylee Jackson hit an RBI double in the fourth inning.

GU’s Addy Northway went 3-for-4 with a double, a grand slam in the fourth inning, and drove in five runs. Savannah Watterson hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

Baseball

HEPPNER 8-22, IRRIGON 7-10 — The Mustangs scored on an error in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a home win over the Knights in Special District 7 play.

Heppner led 7-5 after five innings, only to see Irrigon rally to score two runs on a dropped third strike and a bases-loaded walk to tie the score.

Ryan Haugen hit two doubles for the Mustangs (6-4 overall, 3-0 SD7), while Karver Wilkins and Alakae Rodriguez each had one.

Colton Thompson, Brayden Locey, Kodi Maris and Xander Olmin all went 2-for-4 for the Knights (3-4, 0-3).

In the second game, Wilkins hit two home runs and drove in eight runs as the Mustangs ran over the Knights.

Heppner led 10-1 after the first, and 16-7 after two. The Mustangs added six runs in the fourth for good measure.

Wilkins hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning to give Heppner a 10-1 lead, then added another grand slam in the second for a commanding 16-7 lead.

Olmin hit a double and drove in two runs for the Knights, while Locey and Maris each had two RBIs.

PENDLETON 8-4, REDMOND 5-3 — The Bucks took an early lead, then held on down the stretch to beat the visiting Panthers in the second game of their doubleheader to complete the sweep.

Redmond scored one run in the top of the first, but Pendleton scored three in the bottom half to take the lead for good.

Colson Primus hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 1-1, then Jace Otteson and Hayden Dodge hit back-to-back RBI singles to put the Bucks (5-7) on top.

Pendleton added one run in the fifth of a Dodge RBI double to center field.

Redmond scored twice in the top of the seventh, but would fall short.

Colin Harrington and Tuff McQuinn each had two hits for Pendleton, while McQuinn picked up the win, allowing one run over five innings and striking out four.

In the opener, Dodge went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs as the Bucks overcame an early deficit for the win.

With the Panthers (4-5) holding onto a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, Pendleton scored four runs to take an 8-5 lead.

Primus singled to tie the score at 5-5, and Dodge followed with a three-run double to put the Bucks out front.

Kasen Heinrich pitched a complete game for the win.

WALLOWA COUNTY 23-13, STANFIELD/ECHO 6-3 — The Cougars scored 36 runs over two games and swept the host Tigers in a nonleague doubleheader.

Wallowa County had a 10-6 lead in the opener, then tacked on 13 run-in the top of the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.

Wyatt Harris hit a double and drove in a run for the Tigers, while Joe Crawford drove in two runs.

Crawford and Tanner Jacobson combine for the loss, striking out six and walking 14.

Gabe Nobles hit a double and drove in four runs for the Cougars, while Jaxon Grover pitched a complete game, allowing six runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

In the nightcap, the Tigers and Cougars were tied at 1-1 after two innings. Wallowa County then exploded for 12 runs in the third to pull away for the win.

Kobe Harwood hit two doubles and drove in a run for the Tigers, while Crawford had two hits.

Drew Beachy earned the win for Wallow County, allowing three runs on eight hits, while striking out four and walking two.

VALE 17-12, RIVERSIDE 6-6 — The Vikings got out to an early lead and never looked back in beating the host Pirates in the first game of their Eastern Oregon League doubleheader.

The teams were tied 1-1 after the first inning, but Vale hung eight runs on the board in the third, and continued to build on its lead from there.

Riley Lantis and Will Killion each had two hits for the Pirates, with Killion and Jesus Montes each hitting doubles.

Tate Cook drove in three runs for the Vikings, who picked up their first win of the season.

Cook drove in three more runs in the second game as the Vikings completed the sweep.

Vale led 8-1 after four innings, but Riverside came back with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 8-6. The Vikings would go on a 4-0 run over the last two innings to preserve the win.

Killion drove in two runs for the Pirates, and teamed with Colby Crowell for 11 strikeouts in the loss.

Track and field

Riverside’s 2,000-meter sprint medley relay team of Jeremias Calvillo, Gustavo Zuniga, Alexis Amaya and Ethan Beaty finished first with a time of 5:22.68 to lead the Pirates at the Davis Invitational at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima, Washington.

The Pirates’ 4×100 relay of Zuniga, Amaya, Samuel Lopez and Cooper Cemore finished with a time of 50.18. Pedro Chavez ran a 53.29 to place fifth in the 400 meters, and was fourth in the high jump at 5-10.

Juan Medina placed sixth in the javelin for the Pirates with a PR toss of 135-2.

In the girls’ division, the team of Kaylee Christy, Natalie Velasco, Erika Vargas and Leiliana Lissman turned in a time of 6:57.04 in the 2,000-meter SMR to finish second for the Pirates.

Christy also placed sixth in the javelin (79-10).

Girls tennis

HERMISTON 6, WEISER (ID) 1 — Mallory Caplinger cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Mollie Price at No. 1 singles to lead the Bulldogs to a home win over the Wolverines.

Hermiston swept the singles, and won two of three doubles matches.

Dulce Valencia won the No. 2 singles match with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Evelyn Rodriguez, and Gisselle Valencia won at No. 3 with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over MaKenna Nagasaki.

Amya Caballero finished off the singles with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Weiser’s Giovanna Apostoli.

Bulldogs Aspyn Inners and Cate Doherty won the No. 2 doubles match 6-0, 6-0 over Kate Walker and Sheila Field, while Braylon Mecham and Melissa Silva won at No. 3 with a 6-7 (9-11), 6-4, 10-3 win over Molly Rice and Addyson Wood.

ONTARIO 4, MCLOUGHLIN 1 — The Tiger swept the singles and won two of three doubles matches to beat the Pioneers on the road.

Mac-Hi’s lone win came at No. 3 doubles, where Maria Saldaña and Alejandra Reyes beat Brighad Keary and Sophia Romero 8-4.

At No. 1 singles, Ontario’s Laken Herra topped Jocelyne Arroyo 6-3, 6-2, while Mya Gomez won the No. 2 match 6-0, 6-0 over Mac-Hi’s Norma Rodriguez.

In the top doubles match, Ontario’s Ogaty Santiago and Erika Perez beat Esmeralda Perez and Coral Quist-Knopf 6-3, 6-3, while the Tigers’ Nathania Sensiban and Giselle Robles beat Ava Arredondo and Bella Quist-Knopf 6-3, 7-5 in the No. 2 match.

Boys tennis

ONTARIO 1, MCLOUGHLIN 0 — In the lone boys match, Bryaden Geddes topped Zach Lamb 6-1, 6-1 to lead the Tigers to victory.

College softball

COLUMBIA BASIN 14-15, BLUE MOUNTAIN 3-20 — The Hawks scored eight runs in the top of the fifth inning to break open a close game and beat the Timberwolves in the first game of their NWAC East doubleheader in Pendleton.

Bree Waldron hit a three-run homer to highlight CBC’s eighth inning.

Brooklyn Horrocks, Avyree Miethe, Tallulah Cubbage-Thorp and Makenzie Misner all hit singles for BMCC.

In the nightcap, BMCC led 14-10 in the bottom of the fourth inning and held on for a 20-15 victory to salvage the split.

CBC led 10-2 midway through the third, only to see BMCC score 12 runs in the bottom of the third for a 14-10 lead. The barrage of runs was highlighted by a two-run home run by Kylie Kemp, and a solo shot from Miethe.

Gracie Hamilton and Kemp each drove in four runs, while Miethe had three RBIs.

College baseball

BLUE MOUNTAIN 7-6, BIG BEND 2-5 — Chance Oldham hit a triple and drove in two runs as the Timberwolves beat the Vikings in the first game of their NWAC East doubleheader in Pendleton.

BMCC scored twice in the third inning, once in the fifth and seventh, then tacked on three runs in the bottom of the eighth to secure the win.

Oldham hit a triple to left-center to score two runs in the eighth, while Joel Romo hit an RBI single.

Zach Reynolds and Jace Schow combined for the win, allowing two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.

The Timberwolves completed the sweep with a win in the second game.

BMCC scored three of its first five runs on an error, a hit batsman and a bases-loaded walk.

Big Bend, which trailed 5-2 after seven innings, tied the score in the eighth with three runs.

The Timberwolves pulled out the win with one run in the bottom of the 10th as an Evan Gant single sent Logan Williams across home plate.

Gant, Oldham and Williams each hit doubles for BMCC. Dylan Runge pitched the first seven innings, allowing four runs on three hits with 11 strikeouts.