Ontario stakes district claim

POWER PITCH: Tyson Wicklander of Union County’s 13-year-old team fires a pitch to the plate during Union County’s 13-4 loss to the Snake River Nationals in the District 3 tournament championships. Observer photo/BARRETT HENDERSON

The Ontario-based Babe Ruth program dominated its opponents at the District 3 tournament in the 13-year-old, 14-year-old and 15-year-old divisions.

The three Snake River National teams left Pioneer Park as district champions. The three National teams went 14-0 while in La Grande. They outscored their opponents 197-54, an average victory of 14-3.

The Union County 13-year-old team rebounded from its opening loss to the Nationals Thursday by winning three straight games to make Sunday’s final.

Friday Union County defeated the Snake River Valley Americans, 11-6, and Saturday it beat Baker County, 14-8.

After falling to the Nationals Thursday, 8-5, Union County got its rematch in the district title game. Sunday’s final got off to a good start for Union County.

Trenton Powers used a strong wind and drove a deep line drive to left field to give Union County a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

After the Nationals evened the score in the bottom of the first, the rain began to fall, and it got the best of Snake River Valley.

A Nationals’ fielding error and back-to-back wild pitches scored a pair of Union County runs.

With Union County leading 3-1, the Nationals seemed poised to make a big run in the bottom of the second inning. Snake River Valley opened the inning with three consecutive singles.

Then Union County made its first of two triple plays it had in the game. UC caught a ball driven to centerfield and then threw out runners who failed to tag-up on second and third base.

Union County added a run in the top of the third inning. But the bottom of the third was the turning point of the game. The Nationals scored eight runs off nine hits. UC committed five errors in the bottom half of the inning.

Snake River Valley now led 9-4 and had all the momentum. Union County led off the top of the fourth inning with two singles, but failed to score.

In fact, Union County would not score again in the game.

“We played tough,” UC

Manager Shaun Cederholm said. “The guys came out and won a game at 8 this morning, which is tough with kids like this in summer. We started out great, and one bad inning really hurt us.

“We just lost our focus out there. We had some mental errors. If it wasn’t for that inning, we’d be right in there.”

They left nine runners on base, committed seven errors and scored four runs off of six hits.

“We started out really good,” Powers said. “As the game went on we just started going downhill. We have to learn how to keep our heads up. Everyone was getting down on themselves when they made a mistake.

“Like today when we started to make errors we lost our focus. With us it’s like when one person goes down we all go down.”

The Union County 14-year-old team also fell in the district title game to the Snake River Valley Nationals. The 14-year-old division only had three teams in its bracket.

UC fell to the Nationals in its opener Friday 17-4 in five innings and 10-1 in the finals Saturday.

Union County defeated Grant Union twice to make the finals. UC beat Grant Union in pool play Friday, 17-3 in five innings and Saturday 10-0 in the semifinals.

The Union County 13-15-year-old team fell to the Snake River Valley Nationals 14-0 Friday, beat Wallowa Valley 13-3 Saturday and was seeded fourth in Sunday’s semifinals.

After falling to the Nationals in the semifinals, Union County avenged a Thursday loss and defeated Harney County 7-1 in the third place game.

The state tournaments will be played July 21-25. The 13-15-year-old tournament will be in Ontario, the 14-year-old tournament is in Pendleton and the 13-year-old tournament will be played at Pioneer Park and hosted by Union County.

“It feels great to be in the state tournament,” Cederholm said. “To have another chance to play is really nice. Hopefully we get to play (Snake River Valley Nationals) again.”