Posted Monday March 23, 2009

UMATILLA - Waitsburg defeated Umatilla 13 to 11 in the Vikings opening home game of the season on Thursday, March 19, 2009. The Vikings took the early lead and held it until the fourth inning when Waitsburg caught up and passed them. The Umatilla came back in the last two innings but it wasn't enough to close the gap.

Umatilla started off scoring eight runs in the bottom of the first inning. The first score was when Kasey Pankey came home on a hit by Taylor Pankey. Next Steve Williams scored on a hit by Trukositz. Then Josh Wilson came up with two on and hit a homerun over the left field fence to give Umatilla a 5-1 lead. Next Anderson hit a shot up the middle to score Galbraith. Then Kasey Pankey hit a big shot to right field scoring Hurley and Anderson to give Umatilla the 8 to 1 lead at the end of the first inning.

The next scoring came in the third inning when Waitsburg scored on three wild pitches and a long fly ball to close to three, 5 to 8.

Waitsburg scored again in the fourth inning when two runs scored on a long fly ball to left field that closed them to 7-8. Waitsburg scored later in the inning when, with bases loaded, they walked in a run to tie it up 8-8. A line shot to left firld brought in two runner give Waitsburg the 10-8 lead. A chopper to second brought in Waitsburg's eleventh run.

Waitsburg scored twice in the top of the fifth on a shot down the third base line to take a 13-8 lead. In the bottom of the fifth Kasey Pankey drove in Galbraith on a long hit to center field. Waitsburg held the lead at 13-9.

The next score took place in the bottom of the sixth when Umatilla's Trukositz scored on a pass ball. Then Vandever hits a line drive to center field scoring a run. Umatilla was down by only two with Waitsburg leading 13-11.

Neither team was able drive in any runs in the seventh.

Photos by Terry Aichele