Posted Sunday April 4, 2010

HERMISTON - The Hermiston Bulldogs kept up their home winning streak on Thursday, April 1, 2010 defeating the Crook County Cowboys 11-10. It was a sunny but breezy evening. Crook County took the early lead then Hermiston came back finally taking the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. A grandslam in the bottom of the fifth pushed Hermiston to an 11-6 lead. Crook County battled back in the sixth and seventh inning closing the gap to one run before Hermiston finally took the win.

Crook County was the first team to score in the top of the second inning. A hit to center field with a runner on second provide the first score for the Cowboys. A couple batters later a hit to deep center field drove in two runs giving Crook County the 3-0 lead. Hermiston's Jeremy Holden led off the bottom of the second with a popup that landed behind second base. Tyler Andreason the next batter up for the Dawgs hit a long shot to center field scoring Holden from second base. The next two batters for Hermiston went down on a flyout and strikeout. Justin Jones then hit into the gap to left field. With runners on first and second Tim Rude hit to center field scoring Andreason and Jones allowing Hermiston to tie it up at 3-3. Jacob Almaguer hit a fly to center field driving in courtesy runner Travis Bratton and giving Hermiston the 4-3 lead.

Crook County scored a run on a ground ball that drove in a runner from third to tie it up at 4-4.

The next scoring took place in the bottom of the fourth inning when Rude hit through the gap into left field scoring Brad Morton to take a one run lead at 5-4. Next up Almaguer hit deep into right field scoring scoring courtesy runner Bratton and giving Hermiston the 6-4 lead. Booter Lewis then hit to center field scoring Almaguer and giving Hermiston the 7-4 lead at the end of the fourth inning.

Crook County scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning. One was off a hit to deep center field the second score came off a shot down the third base line scoring the runner from third. Hermiston started the bottom of the fifth with a 7-6 lead. Hermiston loaded up the bases with a grounder by Andreason, a hit to center field by Brad Morton and a walk by Justin Jones. Then, with a full count, Tim Rude blasted a grand slam home run over the right field fence. That gave Hermiston the 11-6 lead.

Crook County didn't stop and roll over following the grand slam. The Cowboys came right back scoring two runs on a hit to deep center field. That closed the score to 11=8.

Crook County scored again in the top of the seventh when their lead off batter slugged a home run over the left field fence. Three batters later with a runner on second a shot down the third base line drove in the Cowboy runner from third closing to within one run of Hermiston. Crook County's momentum faded quickly as the next two batters went down first with a ground out and a pop out. Hermiston took the 11-10.

Photos by Terry Aichele