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

BROWN OUT: LHS third baseman Sidney Brown collects a single in Game 1 against Baker Friday. La Grande fell in both games to its Greater Oregon League rival. - The Observer/PAUL HARDER

That’s the question left to be pondered by the La Grande softball team after being swept by Baker Friday.

The Tigers, 1-7 overall, left 15 base runners stranded in scoring position between the two games.

Make no mistake, La Grande can hit the ball.

Despite being off-balance and on their front foot most of the 14 innings, the Tigers collected  17 hits.

“We just weren’t getting the timely hits,” LHS head coach Kevin Kohr said. “You have to score when runners are on second and third. That just didn’t happen for us.”

La Grande opened the scoring in Game 1.

Shelby Hasse slapped a one out single.

Sidney Brown followed with a single to score Hasse.

Errors allowed the Bulldogs to take the lead in the fifth.

Cammy Bell ran into trouble after allowing a leadoff single, followed by a double.

Still, Bell nearly worked out jam.

An error with one out opened the door allowing two runs to cross the plate.

That eerie story replayed itself time and time again.

Three innings of superb defense, followed by a one inning let down.

“We have to make the routine play, and know what to do with the ball when it’s hit to us,” Kohr said. “You can’t give up outs in this game. It’s going to come back and bite you.”

Baker broke the game open in the seventh, scoring four more times.

A Tigers’ rally in the seventh fell short to the tune of an 8-4 loss.

Bell was stuck with the loss.

However, her coach looked at it in more broad terms.

“She pitched great,” Kohr said. “Her pitches found the right locations. It was a lack of help behind her. You can’t fault what (Cammy) did out there.”

Game 2 had the same pitchers duel feel.

Denny led off the bottom of the first.

She moved to third on a single by Hasse, and scored on a fielder's choice by Brown.

With a 2-1 lead headed into the sixth, the wheels came off again.

A two-out walk and an error led to a two-run inning.

Baker put the game away in the seventh with four more runs.

Denny paced the Tigers with two doubles in the game.

“We’re growing each time we get out on the field,” Kohr said. “I know they can do it. The girls need to believe in themselves. We’ll go back to square one Monday, and try to regroup.”

The Tigers (1-3 GOL) will host Mac-Hi at 2 p.m. Friday.

Game 1

Baker    001 030 4    —    8 9 2

La Grande    100 020 1    —    4 8 4

W: Wilson. L:  Bell.  2B— B: Daly, Vaughn.

Game 2

Baker    001 002 4    —    7 6 1

La Grande    100 100 0    —    2 9 6

W: Culley. L:  Christman.  2B— B: Daly; LG Denny 2. HR— B: U/A