>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

WALLA WALLA — The day started as a pitcher’s duel, and it ended as a hit parade.

Legacy Ford split its games Thursday on the opening day of the Walla Walla Tournament. In the opener, the Mustangs fell to Columbia Basin, 3-2. Later in the day, they answered nicely with a 16-4 thumping versus Tacoma.

“They looked a lot better that last game,” Legacy Ford manager Eric Yundt said. “There were a lot better approaches at the plate in that game.”

Better approaches from Jacob Johnston, who hit a home run. And Kaden Titus, who went 4-for-4 (double, 3 RBIs.) And Nick Thompson, who was 2-for-2.

It was the same approach for Evan Humphrey, though, who had his second multiple hit game this week (3-for-3, 4 RBIs), helping starter Josh Yundt earn the win on the mound.

He and his teammates rebounded from a one-run, seventh-inng loss to Columbia Basin in the opener.  Zach Nice finished that game with 10 strikeouts, but was a victim of a seventh-inning, bloop single that gave Columbia the win.

Legacy Ford had just two hits in the loss — singles from Humphrey and Nice. The Mustangs’ approaches at the plate were bad, as they helped the Columbia starting pitcher earn 12 strikeouts.

Those approaches changed in game 2, however, and now Legacy Ford will look to ride this positive wave into today’s game versus Reality Baseball at 11:45 a.m.

Game 1

La Grande           100 010 0    —2 2 0

Columbia Basin   001 010 1—3 3 0

WP — Garza. LP — Z.Nice.

 3B — CB, Todd.

Game 2

Tacoma (Wash.)  301 000 0    — 4  6 2

La Grande          604 600 0    — 16 15 1

WP — J.Yundt. LP — Henning.

 2B — T, Taraya; LG, Z.Nice, Titus. HR — Humphrey, Johnston.

Tuesday

La Grande        000 100 402     —    7 11 1

Baker               510 220 02x —    12 15 2

WP — Smith. LP — Makin.

 2B — B, Emerson, Blankenship, Smith. . HR — Marcum (2), Wooland, Harlow; LG, Z.Nice.