Grant Union coach RC Huerta, far left, and his squad look on during Grant Union’s 10-4 victory over Nyssa on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at Malone Field in John Day.

The Grant Union Prospector baseball team put six runs on the board in the first inning and weathered a seventh-inning push by the Nyssa Bulldogs to win the non-league matchup 10-4 on Thursday, April 27, at Malone Field in John Day.

A three-RBI double by Weston Suchorski highlighted the first-inning scoring blitz. The Bulldogs would add a run in the top of the third inning before an extended scoring drought by both teams.

The Pros would end that dry spell in the bottom of the sixth inning, adding another four runs to their count to lead 10-1 headed into the final inning of play. Sheldon Lenz provided the lion’s share of the scoring in the sixth, smashing a triple that brought three runners across home plate in the inning.

The Bulldogs would attempt a late game rally, however, scoring a trio of runs in the top of the seventh before the Pros put an end to the threat to send the Bulldogs home the victims of a 10-4 loss. Talon VanCleave was dominant in just over five innings of work on the mound, surrendering six hits and one run while striking out 12 batters.

Lenz and Suchorski led the Pros offensively, both finishing the game with three RBIs. Suchorski was a perfect 1-1 at the plate while Lenz went 1-3 at bat.

Baryn Huerta also finished perfect at the plate, going 2-2 with a pair of RBIs. VanCleave finished 1-3 at the plate with an RBI.

“I’ve been trying to get the guys to continue to be aggressive with the bats — you know what I mean, take good at-bats, don’t let good pitches go by. … They’ve kind of taken that mantra and they’re making it happen,” Grant Union coach RC Huerta said about his team’s first inning offensive assault.

“We want to refuse to lose. That’s painted on our dugout, that’s what Coach Snell had for years and I love that,” Huerta added.

The Pros appear to be running with the “refuse to lose” mantra. The team is 13-4 this season with a 7-2 league record.

The team is set for a doubleheader against league foes Union/Cove on Saturday, May 6, at Malone Field before heading into the 2A/1A Special District 7 playoff.

Start times for the Union/Cove games are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.