Courtesy of BHS BASEBALL

Junior pitcher Jack Wright earned Defensive Player of the Tournament for striking out 16 batters in six innings.

The Burns Hilander baseball team traveled to Lincoln City over spring break to take part in the four-day Battle at the Beach baseball tournament held at Taft High School on Tuesday-Friday, March 25-28.

The Hilanders got off to a slow start on the first day of the tournament, losing to Sisters 5-0. They managed to get only one hit on the day, as Sisters’ Landen Scott threw all seven innings, striking out 15 Hilander batters. The lone hit came from Orion Houck who went 1 for 3 on the day.

Jack Wright received the loss despite striking out 16 Outlaw batters. Wright pitched six innings giving up three hits and one earned run. Dylan Johnson relieved Wright for the seventh inning, giving up two hits, two earned runs, walking one batter and striking out two. The Hilander fielding committed two errors.

On the second day of the tournament Burns faced-off against the No. 1 Blanchet Catholic Cavaliers. Like the previous day, Burns stuggled as they managed only one hit and committed three errors. Blanchets’ pitcher, Drew Bartels threw all five innings, allowing only one hit while striking out 11 Hilander batters. Senior Wyatt Marshall led with the team’s only hit, hitting a double. He finished the day hitting 1 for 2. 

Sean McMullen received the loss, giving up three earned runs and four walks. Jasper SkunkCap threw 1.2 innings and gave up four hits, eight earned runs, walked seven batters and struck out two. Trask Lardy came in the second inning throwing two innings. He gave up three hits while striking out one batter. Tyson Breshears threw the last one and a third innings, giving up one hit and striking out two batters.

On the last day of the tournament, Burns earned their second victory of the season, beating host school, Taft, 11-9.

Keegan Sallee, McMullen, Johnson, Wright and Houck each finished the day with one hit, with Houck hitting a double. 

Johnson earned the win from the mound, throwing four innings, giving up three hits, two earned runs, walking nine batters and striking out two. Wyatt Sewell relieved Johnson for the last inning, giving up two hits, walking two batters and striking out two.

Jack Wright was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Tournament for his pitching performance.

The Hilanders are 2-2 on the season and played at Madras on Tuesday, April 1. Score and stats were unavailable before press time. The team will host their first game of the season next Tuesday, April 8, when they play league-rivals the Vale Vikings. The first pitch is set for 5 p.m.