HERMISTON — Eliza Rodriguez drove in the winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning as No. 9 Hermiston handed top-ranked Walla Walla a 5-4 Mid-Columbia Conference loss on Tuesday, April 26.

“It was exciting,” Hermiston coach Amy Stone said. “Before we went into the game, my assistant coach (Darian Lindsey) and I reminded them that they know how to play. When they play to their potential, they can play with anyone. This game took everyone.”

The game was tied 4-4 going into the fifth inning, where a single to left field by Rodriguez scored Karsyn Botefur to take the lead for good.

Tied at 1-1 going into the bottom of the third inning, the Bulldogs (14-3 overall, 10-3 MCC) scored two runs off an error to take a 3-1 lead.

The Blue Devils got three runs back in the top of the fourth — two scoring off on error — to take a brief 4-3 lead.

Hermiston’s Kaylee Elliott scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth.

In the sixth and seventh, the Bulldogs played solid defense and got quality pitching from Macy Tovar.

In the top of the seventh, Walla Walla had the bases loaded with two outs, but Tovar caught Sidney McCauley looking at strike three to end the game.

“Macy is one kiddo who has stepped up and filled her spot,” Stone said. “She has done an outstanding job.”

PENDLETON 18, REDMOND 3 (6) — The Bucks turned a 6-3 game into a rout of the host Panthers in intermountain Conference play with 12 runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Jaden Samp, Ella Sams and Josie Jenness all hit home runs for Pendleton (14-1, 6-0 IMC), while Kendall Murphy hit two doubles and Chloe Taber hit a double and a triple.

Josie Jenness hit a three-run homer in the first inning, while Sams hit a solo shot in the fourth inning, and Samp a solo homer in the fifth.

Murphy picked up the win, pitching a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts.

Redmond scored all three of its runs in the fifth inning — two on passed balls, and another on an error.

WESTON-MCEWEN 13, MCLOUGHLIN 2 (5) — Hailey Stallings threw a two-hitter and struck out nine as the TigerScots won a nonleague road game against the Pioneers.

The teams were tied 2-2 after the first inning, then W-M scored five runs in the second and third innings to pull away.

“This was a great team win with lots of solid contact against good pitching,” W-M coach Jeff Griggs said. “The team has been focused on cleaning up our errors. I believe we did that today, and it really helped us be successful.”

Bailey Moore went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs for W-M, while Madison Shell had two singles and three RBIs. The TigerScots also scored three runs off errors and one off a wild pitch.

Madi Perkins hit a double for Mac-Hi, and drove in a run, while Rylee Herndon had the other hit for the Pioneers.

ENTERPRISE 17-7, ECHO/STANFIELD 15-5 — One bad inning spelled defeat for the host Cougars at the hands of the Outlaws in the first game of their non league doubleheader.

“We gave up eight runs in the fourth,” Echo/Stanfield coach Saul Castro said. “It’s tough to win games when you have 11 walks, two hit batters, and three errors. It’s tough to compete with anyone when you have that many walks.”

In the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars were down by two with the bases loaded. A fly ball to center should have scored one, but the runners did not tag up and the Outlaws had a double play.

“You can’t have mental mistakes against teams like this,” Castro said.

Kate Griffin went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the fourth inning, and two RBIs for the Cougars, while Taylor Longhorn went 3-for-3, Nevaeh Thew was 3-for-5 with a double, and Kylee Jackson went 3-for-4.

For the Outlaws, Rilyn Kirkland went 3-for-3 with a solo home run in the third inning, and two RBIs. Cooper Nave hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and drove in three runs.

In the second game, the Cougars top six hitters were a combined 1-for-17 as they again fell two runs short.

“That doesn’t happen very often,” Castro said. “Our 7-8 hitters had four of our five hits.

Griffin and Zoe Ramos were each 2-for-3 for the Cougars.

Kirkland hit a solo home run for the Outlaws, while Abbigail Straight and Aimee Meyers each drove in two runs.

Baseball

PENDLETON 13, REDMOND 12 — The Bucks ran their Intermountain Conference record to 6-0 with a home win over the Panthers.

Redmond led 12-10 heading into the bottom of the sixth, where the Bucks scored three runs to take the lead for good.

“It was back and forth the whole time,” Pendleton coach TJ Haguewood said. “Our pitchers limited some things, and defensively we had a couple of hiccups, but we didn’t allow them any big innings.”

The Bucks scored on a passed ball to pull within 12-11 in the bottom of the sixth, then Collin Primus drove in two runs with a double to put the Bucks out front.

In the top of the seventh, with runners on first and second, Redmond’s Eli Pupo hit a line drive down the first base line, where Pendleton’s Dylan Gomez stretched out to make the catch. Gomez then hustled back to the bag for the double play.

“Karson Lani came on in the sixth and seventh and shut them down,” Haguewood said. “It was a good all-round team effort.”

Payton Lambert hit a three-run homer in the first as the Bucks took a 4-3 lead.

Primus and Lani each hit two doubles, while Andrew Demianew drove in two runs.

Pendleton will host Hood River Valley (6-0 IMC) on Friday in a doubleheader that could help determine the conference title.

IRRIGON 15, UMATILLA 1 (5) — Frank Chapa went 3-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Knights to a home win over the Vikings in Eastern Oregon League play.

Irrigon (4-7 overall, 2-3 EOL) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, and kept piling in the points from there. The Knights had an 8-0 lead after three innings, then scored seven in the fourth to help invoke the mercy rule.

Emilio Jaimez and RJ Estrada each hit singles for Umatilla (1-11, 1-6), which also committed nine errors.

WESTON-MCEWEN 12, STANFIELD/ECHO 2 (6) — The TigerScots turned a close game into a blowout with nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat the Tigers in Special District 7 play in Athena.

The Tigers scored one run in the top of the first inning, and held a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth when W-M (11-0, 9-0 scored three runs.

Blane Peal hit a three-run double in the sixth inning in the middle of a parade of runs, and Willy Cain drove in two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.

The Tigers (3-9, 1-6) scored their one run as Jaydon Sanchez drove in Landon Bailey with a single to right field.

Prep soccer

HERMISTON 3, KAMIAKIN 0 — The Bulldogs scored all three of their goals in the second half to hand the visiting Braves a Mid-Columbia Conference loss.

“It was a good one,” Hermiston coach Rich Harshberger said. “In the first half we were a little flat with the wind in our face.”

Anthony Villegas opened the scoring for the Bulldogs (6-8 MCC), followed by Rene Medrano. Carlos Cadenas finished off the scoring with 20 minutes to play.

Goalkeeper Gabriel Lara had three saves in posting the shutout.

Prep tennis

WESTON-MCEWEN BOYS 3, UMATILLA 2 — Wyatt Smith, Dylan Newbold and AJ Thacker all won singles matches for the TigerScots in a home win over the Vikings.

Umatilla’s Ulises Armenta won the No. 1 singles match with an 8-1 win over Mason Langford, then teamed with Lynn McLeod for an 8-3 victory over Hunter Hamby and Seth Muilenburg in the lone doubles match.

WESTON-MCEWEN GIRLS 3, UMATILLA 3 — Jacqlyn Albert, Lirian Holden and Makaela Smith won the top three singles match for the TigerScots as they played to a tie with the visiting Vikings.

Umatilla’s Stephanie Rivera won at No. 4 singles with an 8-2 win over Lyla Rogers. The Vikings also won both doubles matches.

College softball

WALLA WALLA 12-25, BLUE MOUNTAIN 4-0 — The Warriors scored 16 runs in the first inning of the second game to take control of the game and complete an NWAC East sweep of the Timberwolves.

Makayia Anderson went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and six RBIs for WWCC, while Maddie McKay and Heidi Heyvelt also hit home runs. Bailee Noland went 4-for-5 and drove in two runs.

BMCC was limited to two hits, including a double by Kennedy Robertson.

In the opener, BMCC led 4-3 after the first inning, but would be held scoreless the rest of the game.

Jaycee Jerome drove in two runs for the Wolves.

Rylie Bennett, Emily Henard and Gracie Guerra all hit solo home runs for the Warriors, while Heytvelt hit a three-run homer in the third inning.