Grant Union Sweeps Umatilla - HermistonSportsPage.com

Kasey Pankey of Umatilla connects for a hit during the first game with Grant Union. [img_1001]

Grant Union Sweeps Umatilla

Grant Union won 14-4 and 16-2

Posted Thursday May 14, 2009

UMATILLA - The Umatilla Vikings were swept by the Grant Union Prospectors in a doubleheader on Friday May 8, 2009. It was a tough game for the Vikings as they were dominated by a team with an overall 17-5 record. Umatilla's players never gave up and kept scrapping right the end of both games.

Game One
The Prospectors took an early lead when they homered on the first pitch of the game. Grant Union had another homer in the first giving them a 3-0 lead. The top of the third was a big one for Grant Union as they scored seven runs to take a 10-0 lead. Then the Prospectors scored a run in the top of the fourth.

Umatilla finally got things going in the bottom of the bottom of the fourth when Steve Williams scored from second on a hit to rightfield by Aaron Trukositz. Then Kasey Pankey hit a shot to deep leftfield scoring Trukositz. Taylor Pankey then hit to deep centerfield scoring his brother Kasey. This closed GU's lead to 11-3.

The Prospectors started up their scoring machine again in the top of the fifth scoring three runs to take a 14-3 lead. Umatilla knew they needed to score at least two runs to keep the game from being called under the ten run rule. Unfortunately the Vikings could only generate one run on a fielder's choice which allowed Jacob Galbraith to score. Final score 14-4 under the ten run rule. Steve Williams took the loss for Umatilla.

Game Two
The second game had the Prospectors starting off slower in the top of the first. A basehit to right field scored a runner from third. Grant Union took a 1-0 lead.

The top of the second was a much tougher inning for Umatilla. Grant Union scored three runs in the course of filling up the bases. Then with the bases loaded on of Grant Union big players crushed a grandslam over the centerfield fence. That gave the Prospectors the 7-0 lead. Then, a few minutes later the GU batter hit a two run homer to take the 9-0 lead. The Prospectors continued to score in the top of the third inning with a a basehit score then a three run homer and finally a basehit driving in a run to take a 14-0 lead.

Umatilla finally got a score in the bottom of the third when Aaron Trukositz drove in a run. Then Taylor Pankey drove in a run. That set the score at Grant Union 14-2.

Grant Union blasted another homer over the centerfield fence taking a 15-2 lead. The Prospectors scored their last run in the top of the fifth. Umatilla needed to score five runs to stave off the ten run rule ending the game. Unfortunately the Vikings couldn't score. The Grant Union Prospectors took the win 16-2 under the ten run rule.

Steve Williams was the starting pitcher for Umatilla in the first game of the doubleheader with Grant Union. [img_1027 & img_1028]

LEFT - A Umatilla fielder reacts to a grounder hit by a Prospector. [img_1038] RIGHT - Umatilla infielders watch what is happening during a timeout. [img_1064]

LEFT - A Grant Union baserunner is caught in a rundown between second and third base. [img_1087] RIGHT - Grant Union's secondbaseman misses the catch allowing the Viking to take secondbase. [img_2012]

LEFT - Umatilla's Josh Wilson just misses catching a popup to short right field. [img_2049] RIGHT - Taylor Pankey the Viking's centerfielder makes a catch. [img_2069]

Photos by Terry Aichele

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