La Grande blows away Ontario with Saturday softball sweep

LA GRANDE’S KORI CLIPFELL tags out Ontario’s Madison Wallace in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday. LHS swept the visitors, taking the opener 10-1 before cruising to an 8-1 decision in Game 2. CASEY KELLAS / The Observer

It finally all came together for the La Grande softball team. 

The Lady Tigers brought together solid pitching to go along with clutch hitting to sweep visiting Ontario 10-1, 8-1 Saturday.

“Both pitchers did a great job. We stayed focused and made the right adjustments and were able to make plays,” coach Kevin Kohr said.

Game 1 was all about La Grande’s two seniors, Jenny Tracy and Kelly Walker.

After an Emily Lawrence RBI groundout in the second inning got the Lady Tigers on the board, Walker led off the third with a home run to center field to make it 2-0. Tracy scored later in the inning on a Denise Comfort hit to left field that went out of play.

An Elyse Humphreys RBI single made it 4-0 and LHS was well on its way.

That was plenty of run support for Walker, who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, and didn’t allow a run until the sixth.

Walker and Tracy both finished three for four with two runs scored. Walker drove in two runs and struck out four on the mound, while allowing four hits.

“The seniors came up big for us. Kelly was great and Jenny made plays behind the plate,” Kohr said.

Nykol Kiniskey took the loss for Ontario, striking out two in six innings of work.

La Grande was able to carry that momentum over into Game 2.

Ontario broke open a scoreless game in the third inning on an RBI single by Emilee Brockett that scored Madison Wallace.

But LHS responded in the bottom of the third. Walker started a two-out rally with a walk, followed by a single by Tracy. An RBI double by Comfort tied the game, then a two-run double by Madison Elliott made it 3-1 La Grande.

Brandi Blackman’s RBI double rounded out a four-run inning by the Lady Tigers, and once again the home team was in control.

Tracy added to the lead in the fourth with an RBI single that scored Lawrence. Then a sacrifice fly by Humphreys in the fifth inning made it 6-1.

“We were able to get hits throughout the lineup and with two outs. 

“It was a complete team effort today (Saturday),” Kohr said.

The Lady Tigers stretched the lead in the sixth with RBIs by Tracy and Elliott to round out the scoring.

Lawrence took the win, going seven innings and striking out one while allowing seven hits. 

Tracy finished three for four with two RBIs, while Elliott had two hits to go along with a pair of RBIs.

Sidney Hernandez was saddled with the loss, sitting down two in six innings of work.

With the wins, La Grande improves to 3-7 in the Greater Oregon League, while Ontario drops to 1-9. 

McLoughlin split with Baker Saturday, putting the Pioneers and Bulldogs in a tie atop the league at 8-2.

La Grande has two regular season games left. It will travel to Baker Friday for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.