Pendleton's Josie Jenness raises her arm as she prepares to run home during a playoff game against The Dalles on Friday, May 27, 2022, at Steve Cary Field. Pendleton won the game 10-0.

PENDLETON — Pendleton punched its ticket to the 5A state semifinals with a 10-0 six-inning win over The Dalles in the quarterfinals on Friday, May 27.

“In all honesty, we didn’t swing the bats well in round one (Wednesday), but we did a good job with timely hits with two outs today when we really needed it,” Pendleton coach Tim Cary said. “I thought we played very well today.”

The top-ranked Bucks (26-2) will host Dallas/Falls City on May 31. The Dragons defeated Silverton 3-1 to advance.

“They have very good pitching,” Cary said. “They have a lefty that throws very well. We have never seen one the entire season. That will have an element of surprise and we will have to prepare the best we can. Sauren keeps us in every ball game. We hope we can score a few runs.”

Pendleton pitcher Sauren Garton never gave the Riverhawks a chance to get their offense going. She threw a one-hit shutout, striking out 16.

“She was absolutely lights out today,” Cary said. “She was focused. She was bound and determined today. She got it done.”

The Bucks scored their first run off an RBI triple by Melanie Boatman in the first inning, and a triple by Daisy Jenness in the second inning sent Brie Youncs across the plate for a 2-0 lead.

Youncs hit a two-run single in the third for a 4-0 game, then the Bucks tacked on four runs in the fifth for a commanding 8-0 lead.

Jenness drove in two runs with a single in the fifth inning, and later scored on a passed ball.

Pendleton scored twice on errors in the sixth to invoke the mercy rule.

Track and field

Hermiston senior Bailey Young added to her haul at the 3A State Track and Field Championships on the second day of competition at Mt. Tahoma High School.

Young, who won the discus on Thursday, won the shot put with a throw of 46-8 1/4, beating the second-place thrower by more than 6 1/2 feet.

Young’s best throw was her final one of the competition, but any of her six throws would have secured the title.

“It wasn’t my best series, but it’s still a win,” said Young, whose PR is 47-1. “There are some positive throws in there.”

While the shot put title came as no surprise, the discus win on her final throw was.

“I came in ranked 10th,” she said. “I was leading the entire time Uncle Emily (Hutchinson of Mead) threw 2 inches further than me. It was now or never. It’s a cool way to end the season.”

Young will finish her run at state Saturday morning in the javelin event. Caden Hottman will compete in the boys discus Saturday afternoon.

Also Friday, sophomore Jackie Garcia finished seventh in her heat of the 800 prelims, and 20th overall with a time of 2:24.02.

In the 100 prelims, Ryker McDonald finished fifth in his heat with a time of 11.43. He finished 14th overall and missed the finals.

Baseball

LEBANON 4, PENDLETON 3 — The Bucks’ season came to an end with a road loss to the top-ranked Warriors in the 5A state quarterfinals.

Lebanon (22-4) advances to the semifinals, where the Warriors will play Willamette.

Pendleton finished its season 16-11.

“It’s always tough to lose,” Pendleton coach TJ Haguewood said. “We had guys step up and do some things, but fell short. These guys are never out of it, but we could never get that hit.”

Trailing 4-1 heading into the top of the seventh inning, Payton Lambert hit a two-run home run with no outs to pull the Bucks within 4-3.

A groundout and two fly outs ended the Bucks’ season.

Collin Primus led off the game for Pendleton with a triple, then scored on a groundout by Andrew Demianew. That would be the Bucks’ only run until the seventh inning.

“They are a good group of kids who worked their butts off,” Haguewood said. “It’s a pleasure to coach a team like this.”

Starter Lucas Bensching gave up four runs on two hits over the first two innings. Karson Lani came on in relief, allowing three hits while striking out three.

Junior Ryan Rivers, the Mid-Willamette Conference Player of the Year, picked up the win for the Warriors, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out 10.