By Christopher Halsey

Herald Sports Editor

HERMISTON With five consecutive Intermountain Conference softball titles to their credit, the Hermiston Bulldogs will open the 2001 season this week with high expectations.

Second year head coach Tom Bequette said that he considers Hermiston one of the better hitting teams in the state of Oregon. That, coupled with the fact that they will again have strong pitching, should enable them to return to post-season play.

The Bulldogs, who posted a 23-5 record overall a year ago defeating Sprague 5-2 and falling to Century 4-0 in the playoffs, will travel to The Dalles Saturday to open the season. They will host Gresham March 24 and begin IMC play March 30 against Crook County in Prineville.

With several teams ready to challenge Hermistons reign atop the league, the Bulldogs must play better on the road, Bequette said.

This year we are going to try and avoid let-downs, coach Bequette said.

Redmond is the team most likely to compete with Hermiston for the league championship title. Hermiston swept a doubleheader from the Panthers last year, winning the IMC with an 11th inning run in the nightcap.

Theres no doubt they are going to be gunning for us this year, he said.

Pendleton too should be considered a threat. When Pendleton and Hermiston get together, you can throw the rankings and all that stuff out the window, said Bequette. I really want (to win) that series.

Bend and Mountain View should also be expected to reach the post-season from the IMC.

Senior Joni Morasch, who suffered through a shoulder injury last season will move from the pitching circle to second base for Hermiston. Bequette explained that the time needed to fully regain her arm strength to pitch effectively would require too much time away from other skill drills. Further, her bat can become a valuable asset.

Shes swinging the bat extremely well, said coach Bequette. He added that Morasch could be available for spot duty as a pitcher if the team were pressed.

Overall, Bequette said that Hermiston will have some of the best pitching in the IMC and he expects big things from the team this year.

I think our hunger to play better ball and go deeper into the playoffs might be a little bit stronger (this year), he said.

(For the complete story, see the March 13 edition of The Hermiston Herald)