Heppner's Mason Orem prepares to catch a long fly ball while playing Grant Union on May 14, 2024, in Heppner. Grant Union won the game 6-4.

HEPPNER — Grant Union’s Talon Van Cleave kept the Heppner bats quiet most of the afternoon in helping the Prospectors to the Special District 7 district title with a 6-4 victory over the Mustangs on Tuesday, May 14.

“That’s two years in a row now,” said Heppner coach Tim Wilkins, whose team lost in the district finals last year to Weston-McEwen. “I thought we pitched pretty well, and the walks were spread out. We didn’t hit the ball early in the game, but Talon threw a good game.”

Heppner (17-6) had an uncharacteristic five errors during the game, and the pitching staff issued 10 walks and hit three batters.

Grant Union (18-6) opened the game with two runs in the top of the first inning, and held that lead until the fourth inning where it added a run for a 3-0 lead.

Van Cleave allowed just two hits over the first six innings — a single by Cameron Proudfoot in the first, and a single by Shad Greenup in the second.

GU would score one run in the sixth and two in the seventh for a 6-0 lead when the Mustangs one to the plate in the seventh.

Heppner scored all four runs with two outs, starting with back-to-back RBI singles by Caleb George at the bottom of the lineup, and Caden George at the top of the lineup for a 6-2 game.

Proudfoot reached on an error, and Caleb George scored on the same play. Karver Wilkins hit an RBI single to make it 6-4, but Ryan Haugen popped up to the first baseman for the final out.

“It’s still good, at least we had something positive to end on,” Wilkins said. “The errors hurt us early, and another late one cost us. It was a pretty good game. It was a tight game. Karver (Wilkins) threw pretty well. The walks and the errors hurt us.”

Heppner finished with six hits on the day, including a double by Mason Orem.

For the Prospectors, Van Cleave went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, Sheldon Lenz hit a double and scored twice.

On the mound, Van Cleave struck out eight and walked one.

The Mustangs will host the Pendleton JV on Thursday to end the regular season.

The rankings freeze Thursday night, and the state brackets are expected to be released by the weekend.

Prep softball

PENDLETON 7, BURNS 1 — Three of the top softball teams in the state met in John Day for a series of games, with the Bucks coming out on top in both of their games.

Pendleton (25-2), the No. 3 4A team, got 14 strikeouts from Kendall Murphy to lead the Bucks to a win over the Hilanders, the No. 5 3A team.

Murphy allowed one run on five hits and walked one.

At the plate, Melanie Boatman, Avery Quaempts, Ella Sams and Madaline Schumacher hit home runs as the Bucks pounded out 13 hits.

Pendleton scored one run in each of the first four innings, then added three in the top of the seventh.

The Hilanders scored their one run in the bottom of the sixth. Ayla Davies pitched a solid game, striking out 14 and walking one, but the timely hits by the Bucks took a toll.

PENDLETON 13, GRANT UNION 1 (5) — Josie Jenness drove in three runs, and the Bucks made quick work of the Prospectors in John Day.

Pendleton (25-2) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first, then stretched their lead to 9-0 in the top of the fourth.

Grant Union (20-4), the No. 2 2A team, scored its one run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Sivanna Hodge, then watched as the Bucks scored four runs in the top of the fifth to invoke the mercy rule.

Kendall Murphy pitched a complete game for Pendleton, scattering three hits, striking out five and walking two.

Ella Sams went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for the Buck, while Avery Krigbaum went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.

Drew Williams threw 4 1/3 innings for GU, giving up 13 runs on 10 hits, while striking out three and walking two.

LA GRANDE 12, WESTON-MCEWEN 1 (5) — The Tigers hit four home runs and four doubles en route to a nonleague win over the visiting TigerScots.

“We did not come ready to compete today, and unfortunately you can’t do that against good teams,” W-M coach Jeff Griggs said. “Bailey Moore’s home run was a bright spot on a day when most of the long balls were for the opponent. Hopefully we use seeing this type of club as motivation to work harder.

La Grande (18-3) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, then exploded for five in the second, four in the third and two in the fourth.

Maddie Seavert hit a solo home run in the first, and a three-run shot in the third for the Tigers. Nessa Porras hit a three-run homer in the third for a 9-0 lead, and Marti Anderson followed with a solo shot to make it 10-0.

W-M (18-3), which moved to No. 1 in the 2A rankings this week, scored its lone run in the top of the fifth on Moore’s solo home run.

Hailey Stallings and Bre Ward combined to give up 12 runs on 13 hits, while striking out four and walking five.

SOUTHRIDGE 9, HERMISTON 7 — The Bulldogs put together a three-run seventh inning but fell short against the Suns in a loser-out game in the 3A District 8 playoffs in Kennewick.

Southridge moves on to play Mead on Friday for the third seed to the 3A state tournament.

The Suns got on the board with one run in the bottom of the first, but the Bulldogs answered with two in the top of the second as Allison Serna drove in two runs with a single to center field.

Southridge got the runs back in the third, for a 3-2 lead that stood until the fifth inning.

The Bulldogs scored twice in the fifth on a two-run home run by Sydney Stocker to take 4-3 lead.

The lead was short lived as the Suns put up six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for a 9-4 lead.

Hermiston got three runs back in the seventh, but it wouldn’t be enough.

Kaylee Elliott and Karsyn Botefur each had two hits for the Bulldogs.

MCLOUGHLIN 7-7, PILOT ROCK 1-6 — The Pioneers scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie and beat the Rockets in the second game of their nonleague doubleheader at Gib Olinger Fields in Milton-Freewater.

Maritza Ruvalcaba hit a ground ball to Pilot Rock pitcher Coley Gibbs with the bases loaded on the bottom of the seventh. Gibbs misplayed the ball, allowing Aisling Giguiere to score the winning run.

Pilot Rock (10-13) led 4-2 after two innings, and 4-3 after three. The Rockets scored twice in the top of the fifth for a 6-3 lead.

The Pioneers (10-13) got an RBI single from Avah Carper, and a two-run single from Kayla Cheney to knot the score at 6-6 in the bottom of the fifth.

Abi Perkins went 3-for-4 with two doubles for Mac-Hi, while Giguiere and Chaney each had a double and two RBIs.

Ali Smith hit a three-run single in the second inning for the Rockets, while Kashley Golden had two hits.

In the first game, Giguiere threw a four-hitter and struck out 11, and went 2-for-2 at the plate and drove in four runs as the Pioneers led from start to finish.

Chaney drove in two runs for Mac-Hi, while Addy Leonetti went 2-for-4 and scored twice.

Paige Moffit, Paedyn Benentt, Golden and Nevaeh Moore each had a hit for the Rockets.

Boys soccer

GARFIELD 3, HERMISTON 0 — Garfield turned a 2-0 lead at the half into a win over Hermiston in the first round of the 3A state playoffs at Memorial Stadium in Seattle.

“I am beyond proud of the team,” Hermiston coach Ricardo Sotelo said. “It was definitely an amazing season. This was a great experience for the team.”

Giovanni Villarreal finished with eight saves for Hermiston, which finished its season with a 10-10 record.

Garfield advances to play Silas on Friday in the second round at Stadium Bowl in Tacoma.

Girls tennis

Hermiston’s Cate Doherty and Aspyn Inners won the Mid-Columbia Conference 3A district doubles title Monday with a 6-2, 7-5 win over teammates Mallory Caplinger and Gave Winebarger at Kennewick High School.

“Aspyn and Cate came into the tournament as the No. 1 seeded team in the MCC and showed just that,” Hermiston coach Jason Sivey said. “Their consistent and aggressive play is what is fueling their drive to be the best. They came into the tournament motivated after finishing last year in fourth place as an unseeded freshman team. They have great drive and determination, and have learned how to power through tough matches and finish points.”

Doherty and Inners defeated Amelia Bake and McKenna Ball of Kennewick 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals.

Caplinger and Winebarger beat Keegan Isenhower and Kaitlyn Flinders in three sets in the semifinals.

“Grace and Mallory are a new doubles team that was paired up near the end of the season and came into the tournament as the No. 3 seed,” Sivey said. “After a tough three-set match win against the No. 2 seeded Walla Walla team, they have proven that they can compete with the best despite not playing together in very many matches this season.”

Both teams advance to the District 8 tournament, which will be held Friday at Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake, and Saturday at Mt. Spokane High School.

Doherty and Inners will open against Greater Spokane League No. 4 seed Annie Gubler and Kiara Henderson of University.

Caplinger and Winebarger will play GSL No. 3 seed Kiera Hayes and Devyn Hoppe of Mead.

The top three teams from the District 8 Tournament will advance to the 3A state tournament in Vancouver, Washington.

Girls golf

Anika Urbina shot a 101 on the second day of the 4A/3A/2A/1A state tournament at Tokatee Golf Club in Blue River, placing her 25th overall in a field of 65 golfers.

Urbina, who shot a 96 on the first day, had a two-day total of 197.

Madeleine Conser of Valley Catholic shot a 73 on Tuesday, and won her first state title with a two-day 150. Vishaka Priyan of Catlin Gabel, and Cassie Kennon of North Bend tied for second with a 156.

Also scoring for Pendleton were Sophie Nelson (203), Emma Ware (225) and Brinley Curtiss (232).

Salem Academy won the team title with a 758, with Crook County a distant second with a 772. Pendleton finished 10th with an 851.

Boys golf

Pendleton’s Mason Morioka shot an 89 during the second round of the 4A state tournament at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, to finish with a two-day 176 to place tied for 20th.

Phoenix freshman Jordan Giles won the individual state title with a two-day 147, with Molalla’s Massimo Cereghino second with a 150.

Also for the Bucks, Landon Neistadt matched his 95 from the first round for a 190, followed by Cole Sazue (195), Casey VanDorn (207) and Dakota Malin (232).

Marist Catholic won the team title with a 659, just four strokes ahead of Baker (663). North Bend was a distant third with a 703. Pendleton was ninth with a 768.

3A/2A/1A STATE TOURNAMENT — Riverside’s Wyatt Browne shot an 84 during the second round of play at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell. That, paired with his 88 from the first round, gave him a 172 and vaulted him to 20th on the leaderboard.

Davis Hartwell of Crosspoint Christian shot a 68 during the second round, and finished with a 141 to win the individual state title. Benny Zhu of Valley Catholic was second with a 151.

Bandon won the team title with a 655, with Valley Catholic second (677) and Banks third (693).

Umatilla’s Miles Franks finished with a two-round score of 184, while Broc Erickson of Pilot Rock had a 197.