Tigers notch first win

AND THE PITCH: La Grande’s Evan Humphrey delivers a pitch during the first game of a double header Saturday. The Observer/BARRETT HENDERSON

The Tigers split with Heppner at Optimist field, falling in the opener 7-6.

“It would have been nice to pick up a win to start off the day,” Shaffer said. “The boys came in looking for a sweep but it just didn’t happen.”

The Tigers battled back from the start of the game.

Woody Stockoff gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with a single that drove home two runs.

He delivered another run with a double in the third, and Kole Stein followed with a run scoring single to erase a 4-2 deficit.

Stockoff finished the game 2 of 4 with three RBIs.

But the pesky Class 2A Mustangs kept coming back.

Jack Keanan even scored brought home Eric Chick in the fifth.

La Grande (1-2) took the lead in back, 6-5, on a Mustangs’ error.

“I thought we had it right there,” Shaffer said.

So did the Tigers’ faithful, when Zach Nice went to the mound to close out the game.

However, with limited time throwing to live hitters, Nice struggled with his command.

He walked the first batter he faced. Things compounded with runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. An error followed that allowed two runs to score.

Chance Day struck out two batters after a walk to close out the game.

“We’re still working on getting our timing back,” Shaffer said. “It’s tough with the limited amount of time we’ve had outside. Game by game it’s getting better.”

Nice found his timing at the plate in Game 2. The junior shortstop drilled the second pitch in the home half of the first over the left-field fence.

That gave Carson Palmer all the breathing room he needed for a while.

After throwing one bullpen days before the game, Miller worked through 4 2/3 innings with relative ease. He breezed through the first four innings without allowing a run.

“Carson was slated to be our third baseman,” Shaffer said. “But then we thought it might be a good idea to get him some innings on the mound too.”

It paid off. Palmer was in command with his fastball, and froze the opposition with his curveball.

He retired eight straight batters between the first and third innings. In that span he tallied five of his six strikeouts.

“I didn’t want to let my team down,” Palmer said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect. But it went a lot better than I hoped for.”

He allowed four hits in the fifth inning before Blake Partney came on in relief.

A team effort at the plate helped put La Grande out in front before the Mustangs put a run on the board.

Miller and Josh Yundt each brought in a run in the second inning with singles.

Kevin Boyd and Stein drove in runs with doubles in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

Josh Yundt retired Heppner in order, with two strikeouts, to close out the game.

Game 1

Heppner    130 010 2    —    7 5 3

La Grande    202 110 0    —    6 8 2

W — Day. L — Nice (0-1). 2B— H, Huddleston; LG, Stockoff, Boyd.

Game 2

Heppner                  000 020 0     — 2  7 5

La Grande               131 011 x     —    7 10 0

W — Miller (1-0). L — Gentry. 2B— H, Huddleston; LG, Yundt, Boyd, Stein. HR— LG, Nice.