PENDLETON — Freshman Rene Ortega scored two second-half goals to help Pendleton to a 3-1 Intermountain Conference win Thursday, March 18, over Redmond.

It was the first game for the Bucks, who had to quarantine for 14 days because of a positive COVID-19 test within the team.

“It was a big win for our first game, coming off COVID and the weather,” Pendleton coach Alex Erazo said. “I am super proud of this group. They came back from 1-0 and tied it up and never looked back. For Redmond, it was their fifth game, and they were match fit. There is still room for improvement.”

Trailing 1-0 in the first half, Pendleton’s Curtis Simons tied the score to forge a 1-1 tie at the half.

Ortega scored the game-winner with 25 minutes left in the game, then added an insurance goal 10 minutes later.

Goalkeeper Kyle Field had seven saves in the win.

The Bucks (1-0) will host La Grande at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 19.

Volleyball

PENDLETON 3, THE DALLES 0 — The Bucks (5-3) swept the visiting Eagles 25-12, 25-15, 28-26 in Intermountain Conference play.

No other details were available.

HEPPNER 3, IRRIGON 0 — Sydney Wilson had 12 kills as the visiting Mustangs won a nonleague match 25-12, 25-9, 25-15 against the Knights.

The Knights played without libero Makenna Collins and setter Emma Mueller, who are playing in a club tournament in Denver.

“It was disappointing,” Heppner coach Mindy Wilson said. “We had been prepping to play them. We wanted to play against their best players.”

Sage Ferguson added eight digs and six aces for the Mustangs (4-1), while Marlee Mitchell had 14 assists, and Kennisyn Wilkins six kills and three digs.

Alyssa Luna led Irrigon with four kills, while Paola Carmona added three kills, Esmeralda DeLorea 10 assists, and Abby Prosser four digs.

WESTON-MCEWEN 3, AT STANFIELD 1 — Kelsey Stewart had 10 kills, and Charli King handed out 30 assists as the TigerScots posted a 25-20, 25-16, 26-28, 25-17 Blue Mountain Conference road win over the Tigers.

“We played better, and Stanfield played better than the first time we played them,” W-M coach Shawn White said. “It was a good, fun match with some solid volleyball. I’m really happy with our girls, and really happy with our serving tonight.”

Jesse Manning added 13 digs, nine kills and was 23 of 23 from the service line with five aces. Lily Lindsey added eight kills, Genna Robinson six kills, and Carrie Hazon 20 digs and three aces.

PILOT ROCK 3, NIXYAAWII 1 — Erin Zacharias had 10 kills to lead the host Rockets to a 25-16, 25-21, 20-25, 25-22 nonleague victory over the Golden Eagles.

Trinity Price added five kills for Pilot Rock (4-4), while Jenna Collins had 17 assists and Madison Lunzmann nine digs

Slowpitch softball

HERMISTON 15-12, WALLA WALLA 0-2 — The Bulldogs celebrated senior night with a sweep of the visiting Blue Devils.

“It’s nice compared to the last time we played Walla Walla,” Hermiston coach Rebecca Pridmore said. “They (Wa-Hi) just weren’t hitting the ball today.”

Senior Alexa Kestler pitched both games for the Bulldogs, striking out three on the day.

Taylor May went 6-for-6 on the day with a double and an in-the-park home run in the first game. Eliza Rodriguez was 5-for-6 with three doubles, while Hailey South went 4-for-6 with a triple, and Kaylee Billsborough 5-for-6.

Freshman middle infielder Brooklyn Warburton was singled out for her stellar defense play in both games.

Cross-Country

Heppner’s Madelyn Nichols finished second overall, and the Mustangs won the team title at the Mustang Invite at Thompson Ranch.

Nichols turned in a time of 22 minutes, 26.6 seconds, followed by teammate Hailey Heideman in 22:49.9. Kylie Boor (7th), Hannah Finch (8th) and Hannah Palmer (10) finished the scoring for the Mustangs.

Heppner (15 points) and Weston-McEwen (46) were the only two complete teams.

Condon’s Kallyn Wilkins won the race, crossing the finish line in 22:07.1.

Zora Gehrke (6th) led Stanfield in a time of 24.09.8, while Pilot Rock was led by McKenna Bray (9th, 25:13.1). Evalena Lieuallen was the top Weston-McEwen runner (12th, 26:05.4), while Keyen Singer led Nixyaawii (14th, 26:39.1).

On the boys side, Stanfield’s Sisay Hurty was top local finisher, placing fifth in a time of 17:41.9.

Enterprise’s Zac Knapp won the race in a time of 17:11.9, and the Outlaws won the team title with 28 points, followed by Union (44), Heppner (61) and Culver (81).

Heppner’s Trevor Nichols was sixth (17:49.9), while Weston-McEwen’s Alex McIntyre was eighth (19:06.9), and Riverside’s Matthew Hammond was 12th (19:48.6).

College soccer

Blue Mountain Community College men’s soccer coach Austin Shick stepped down March 18, leaving the team without a coach with a season opener just three weeks away.

BMCC women’s coach Jordan Hillmick has stepped in to help with the transition and prepare the men’s team for its season opener April 7 at Columbia Basin College.