Grant Union def. Nyssa 14-4

LA GRANDE – Grant Union staked Nyssa to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning of the District 8/2A baseball playoffs at Eastern Oregon University’s Snowflake Field on Saturday, May 24, and then came roaring back with six runs in the bottom of the second and went on to defeat the Bulldogs 14-4 to nail down the Wapiti League Championship and advance to the opening round of the state playoffs.

The game was called after five innings of play on the 10-run rule, and marked the Prospectors’ 26th straight victory of the season

Brandon Hueckman went the distance on the mound for the Prospectors recording his 10th pitching victory of the season, scattering six hits while striking out three and walking one.

Nyssa tallied the initial run of the game in the top of the second on a leadoff double by Kory Hansen, a one-out single by Nick Hartley and an infield out by John Villanueva before Grant Union went to work in the bottom half of the inning.

Hueckman led off with a double and Eli McClure went in as a courtesy runner, advancing to third on a throwing error by losing Bulldog pitcher Jonathan Whitmire.

Geoff Brown was safe on an error to score McClure with the tying run and Cody Frazier drew a walk to put runners on first and second.

A balk moved both runners up, and Toby Thomas singled up the middle to make the score 3-1.

Matt Curtis followed with a double to plate Thomas and Bo Thunell singled him home with the fifth run of the inning.

Thunell tallied the final run of the second inning on an infield out by Kyle Myers.

The Prospectors tacked in four additional runs in the bottom of the third after the first two batters went out on a Curtis single, a triple by Thunell, a walk to Trevor Simmons, a double by Myers and a Billy Colson single to push the lead to 10-1.

A passed ball in the bottom of the fourth inning plated Thomas making the score 11-1 and put the game on the line, but Nyssa was able to score three times in the top of the fifth on three hits and a hit batter.

In the bottom half of the inning, Simmons led off with a double, Myers singled and Colson followed with another double before Hueckman drove home the game-winner with a sacrifice fly.

Curtis was 3-for-3 in the game for the Prospectors, and teammates Thunell, Simmons, Myers and Colson were all 2-for-3 as part of Grant Union’s 13-hit attack.

Jessie Garcia had two hits for the Bulldogs.

The Prospectors will host Knappa, the No. 2 seed from District No. 1, at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at Malone Field.

District 4/2A Baseball Playoffs at Eastern Oregon University

Saturday, May 24

Grant Union 14, Nyssa 4

Nyssa01003-464

Grant Union06413-14130

Jonathan Whitmire, Cody Waldo (4) and Joseph Cummings; Brandon Hueckman and Bo Thunell. W – Hueckman (10-0). L – Whitmire. 2B – Kory Hansen (N); Matt Curtis, Trevor Simmons, Kyle Myers, Billy Colson, Hueckman (GU). 3B – Waldo (N); Thunell (GU). HR – none.

No outs when winning run scored.