VALE — The Grant Union Prospectors fell hard to the Vale Vikings in softball action last Friday.

Vale came away with two wins on their home turf, 5-2 and 17-3.

Grant Union head coach DeAnna Nash said Game One was close.

“This was a tough-fought battle, and the game could have gone either way,” she said.

Grant Union had a 2-1 lead going in to the bottom of the fourth inning when Vale tied up the score.

Vale rallied in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run home run just over the outstretched mitt of Prospector Whitney McClellan.

Windy conditions didn’t help Grant Union, and although the team had a couple more chances in the sixth and seventh, the runs didn’t materialize.

Prospector Cody Jo Madden pitched through five innings with Brianna Zweygardt relieving in the sixth.

Mariah Moulton pitched Game Two for the Prospectors with Zweygardt pitching in the fourth.

Grant Union jumped out with a 3-1 lead. Then the game fell apart for them.

Although the team had some bright moments, including two doubles off Moulton’s bat, they “struggled in all aspects of the game, offense, defense and pitching,” Nash said.

The Prospectors had seven hits to the Viking’s nine, but Grant Union had some errors and walked five and gave up four hits.

Grant Union will dust themselves off, and prepare to host Riverside/Arlington for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Friday for the Prospectors’ senior day.

“Winning at home will secure a spot in the district playoffs, beginning Tuesday, May 17,” Nash said.

The winner of that game will play again on Friday, May 20.

The top four out of nine make the district playoffs. If Enterprise/Joseph/Wallowa loses a doubleheader with Echo/Stanfield on Friday, and Grant Union wins their games against Riverside/Arlington, the Prospectors will move up to No. 4 in league, giving them a spot in the district playoffs.

“We will have to wait until all games are played this week to see where the games on Tuesday would be,” Nash said. “The third-place team hosts No. 4 on Tuesday (May 17). Then the winner, plus the No. 2 team, travel to the No. 1 team on Friday (May 20).”

The OSAA Softball State Championships begin May 23, and the top three in the district tournament will compete.

Current league standings:

1. Echo/Stanfield, 13-1 (league), 18-5 (overall), 241 (runs scored), 73 (runs allowed)

2. Weston-McEwen/Griswold, 12-2, 15-4, 254, 53

3. Vale, 11-1, 16-5, 196, 107

4. Enterprise/Joseph/Wallowa, 8-6, 10-10, 197, 189

5. Grant Union/Dayville/Prairie City, 7-7, 12-9, 215, 133

6. Riverside/Arlington, 6-8, 11-11, 192, 174

7. Nyssa, 5-9, 6-16, 166, 255

8. Umatilla, 0-14, 1-20, 66, 413

9. Elgin/Imbler, 0-14, 0-16, 32, 267