Pendleton's Ellie Richards throws the ball to first base in the Bucks' 10-0 win against Silverton on Tuesday in Pendleton.

The Pendleton Buckaroos announced their return to the state championship loud and clear.

The defending 5A softball champions outclassed the Silverton Foxes in all phases for a 10-0 win in five innings on Tuesday at Steve Cary Field.

Alexis Morrison, Tiah Grass and Darian Lindsey all hit home runs to re-write the state record book, and Kiersten Murphy was backed by nearly flawless defense for a no-hitter.

“We have a lot of quality hitters out there that love to hit the ball,” said Pendleton coach Tim Cary. “They do take a lot of batting practice and they do compete with each other to see how many they can hit out of the yard. It’s just fun to watch them go out and have fun playing softball.”

Morrison and Grass bombed Silverton pitcher Daisy Hernandez back to back in the bottom of the first inning, the second time in as many games they’d accomplished the act, and pushed Pendleton’s season total past the record 36 long balls it hit last season.

“Once Alexis gets one of those great hits, either on the ground, in the air or out of the park, it gets me pumped,” Grass said. “It’s just one of those things where it’s a duo for us. Once she hits one, it’s just, ‘Oh, I bet Tiah will hit one.’”

Morrison’s was a two-run shot that scored Payton Hergert, who had just driven in the eventual game-winning run when she brought Ellie Richards in from third on a single. Grass’ solo blast made it 4-0 and also marked the first time this postseason the Bucks had ended the first inning with the lead.

“Lately we’ve been weak in the first inning … and it was nice that we came out on top because then we didn’t have to worry about it,” Lindsey said.

“I think we were loose coming into the game and it helped,” Richards said. “We just came out ready.”

Grass added a three-run job in the bottom of the fourth for her 11th of the year and third of the postseason. She finished the game 3 for 3 with four RBIs.

Lindsey ended the game on her team-leading 12th homer, which soared past the scoreboard in center field to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and brought the team total to 39 — 11 in the last three games.

Lindsey failed to reach base for the first time all postseason when she grounded out in the first inning, but finished 2 for 4 to raise her playoff total to 9 for 11.

She and Grass were the only Bucks with multiple hits on Tuesday, but with the way Pendleton was playing the field it was little cause for concern.

Murphy didn’t allow a ball to reach the outfield until the fourth inning, and didn’t allow a runner past first base all afternoon.

“Kiersten threw outstanding and the defense was there,” Cary said. “Just an outstanding job, let’s hope everybody’s got one more left in them right now.”

Silverton finally started making solid contact in the fourth, but Grass in center and Rylee Gentner in right field were able to preserve the no-hitter with their leather.

Murphy finished with one strikeout and two walks, but was mostly able to stay ahead in the count to keep Silverton from dialing in an offense that had produced 16 runs in the first two rounds of the state bracket.

“I was loose and ready to go,” she said. “Us getting four runs in that first inning really helped out a lot. It’s nice to 10-run a team in the state playoffs.”

“(Monday) in practice I know that she was working really hard and hitting all her spots with good speed,” said Pendleton catcher Mykal Weissenfluh. “(Tuesday) I was expecting just as much and she did the same thing. She didn’t get down on herself at all, just consistent good pitching, hit all of her spots.”

Weissenfluh is one of five Pendleton seniors that will end her career on Saturday when the Buckaroos meet Putnam in a rematch of last season’s title game.

“Since we’re seniors we get to graduate on the field and it’s exciting to graduate with the girls you’ve been playing softball with your whole life,” Weissenfluh said.

Lindsey, Grass, Shelby Spriet and Shelby Harris are Pendleton’s other seniors. Grass said she’s been hoping to walk in Corvallis since watching the 2012 seniors collect their diplomas on the diamond.

“Now it’s my turn, and it’s just one of those dreams that gets to come true for me, and not many seniors get that,” Grass said. “We’re all excited and pumped. It’s the game we’ve been waiting for all year long.”

Putnam defeated Marist Catholic 3-2 to make its second-straight championship game. Pendleton defeated Putnam 2-1 last year for its second title in three seasons. The Kingsmen are making their sixth appearance in the finals, but haven’t won there since back-to-back AAA titles in 1988-89.

First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.

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PENDLETON 10, SILVERTON 0 (5 innings)

R H E

SHS 000 00 — 0 0 2

PHS 400 51 — 10 11 2

Daisy Hernandez and Kayla Stocker. Kiersten Murphy and Mykal Weissenfluh. W — Murphy. L — Hernandez.

2B — Shelby Spriet (Pendleton). HR — Darian Lindsey, Tiah Grass, Alexis Morrison (Pendleton).