Photo by RUTHIES IN HIS IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Seniors on the Burns High School baseball team pose with their parents on Senior Day. From L-R: Devan Otley-Smith, Braden Swindlehurst, Jaden Tiller, Jordan First-Raised, Kevin Peasley, and Adam White. 

Burns Hilander baseball team finishes the week 2-1

The Burns Hilander baseball team lost to Vale on the road, 6-7, before bouncing back, beating Irrigon in a doubleheader on Senior Day 20-7, 11-1.

On Tuesday, May 3, Burns traveled to Vale where they were unable to hold back the Vikings, losing their first league game of the year.

The Hilanders got off to a quick start, scoring three runs in the first inning. Vale responded by picking up one run and adding another three in the bottom of the third and another run in the fourth.

Down 5-3 in the fifth, Burns scored three times to take back the lead, up 6-5. 

Vale was able to score another two runs in the fifth inning and hold the Hilanders back for a final score, 6-7.

Devan Otley-Smith received the loss on the day, pitching five innings and giving up seven runs on five hits and striking out four batters.

Garrett Johnson pitched the last inning, walking one batter and striking out two.

Kevin Peasley and Otley-Smith led Burns with two hits each. Jaden Tiller and Johnson each finished with one.

Johnson led the team with two RBIs, and Hunter Kemper finished with one.

In game two of the doubleheader, Irrigon struck first, up 1-0 before the Hilanders scored five runs in the bottom of the first.

Burns was able to pick up three runs in the third, one in the fourth, and two more in the fifth to end the game, 11-1.

Johnson pitched all five innings and picked up the victory. Johnson gave up one run on two hits and struck out four batters.

Adam White and Easton Kemper led the team with two hits apiece. Tiller, Peasley, H. Kemper, Jordan First-Raised, and Orion Houck each had one hit.

Tiller hit an inside-the-park home run on his only at-bat, while Peasley and E. Kemper finished with a triple.

Tiller led all batters with three RBIs, and White had two. 

Game one stats of the doubleheader against Irrigon were unavailable at press time.

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Burns Hilander softball continues to dominate

The Burns Hilander softball team picked up another three wins this past week, one against Vale and a doubleheader with Irrigon.

On Tuesday, May 3, Burns traveled to Vale and came out victorious, beating the Vikings 5-1.

Ayla Davies earned the win from the pitching circle, throwing all seven innings, while only giving up one run on two hits and striking out 15 Viking batters.

Merissa Medley led the Hilanders with two hits, including a double. Gracie Mello, Lacie Tiller, Mackenzie King, Leauna Dupuy, Matty Woodbury, and Halle Houck each finished with a hit.

Tiller led Burns with two RBIs, and Medley had one.

Mello, Tiller, Medley, Woodbury, and Houck each scored for the Hilanders.

Burns hosted the Irrigon Knights on Senior Day held Friday, May 6 in doubleheader action. 

Honoring the Hilanders’ only senior, Kaya Dobson, Burns made quick work winning both games 21-1, 12-2.

In the first game, Leauna Dupuy earned the win by pitching the first two innings, giving up zero runs, hits, and walks while striking out six batters.

Senior Kaya Dobson pitched the third inning, only giving up one run on one hit and striking out the last batter of the game.

Lydia Dupuy and Medley led Burns with two hits each, while Medley hit a three-run home run.

Dobson led the Hilanders, crossing the plate three times. Macy Temple, Medley, Ashley Wright, Mello, and Dupuy each scored twice.

Medley also led with four RBIs, while Tiller had three.

In the second game, Davies started the game in the circle and struck out all three batters she faced. Leauna Dupuy pitched the next two innings, giving up two runs on one hit, walking two batters, and striking out three.

King finished the game from the circle, pitching the last two innings. She earned the win, giving up zero hits and runs, while striking out one batter.

Dobson, Medley, and Mello each led the team with two hits, while Temple, Wright, King, and Woodbury each finished with one.

Mello led Burns with four RBIs. Wright and King both had two.

Wright, King, Medley, Tiller, and Mello each scored twice. Dobson and Temple crossed home plate once.

Coach Robert Medley said, “It was a great week of softball!  Winning on the road in league against a good Vale team was big for us, and then finishing the week with Senior Day and a pair of wins was awesome!” 

Medley went on to say, “This is Kaya’s only year of playing high school softball for Burns, but she has meant a ton to our program going forward, and we will miss her next year.  It was also a great week for our pitching to shine, as four different pitchers pitched us to these three big wins. Next week will be even bigger as we continue getting better and working hard.”