Grant Union/Prairie City’s Weston Suchorski stands in the batter’s box.

Sheldon Lenz did it all in the top half of a doubleheader against Union/Cove on Saturday, May 6, at Malone Field in John Day.

The second half of the doubleheader was never in doubt as the Grant Union/Prairie City baseball squad put 12 runs on the board in the first two innings to cruise to a five-inning, 19-4 win.

The first game, on the other hand, required a bit of heroics.

The Prospectors took a slim 2-0 lead into the top of the third inning of game one before the Bobcats regrouped to score four runs in the top of the third along with another in the sixth to take a 5-2 advantage into the final two at-bats for the Pros.

Grant Union/Prairie City would get RBI singles from Weston Suchorski and Ryland Beil in the sixth to cut the Bobcat lead to 5-4. A sacrifice fly from Syrus Workman in the bottom of the seventh tied the game at five and set the stage for Lenz’s eighth-inning heroics.

Lenz was on the mound, with two outs and the go-ahead runner on third base, when he threw a wild pitch. But instead of watching the go-ahead run come in for the Bobcats, Lenz covered home plate, tagging out the runner to keep the game tied and put the Pros in position to snag a dramatic, come-from-behind win.

Lenz’s efforts would again prove instrumental to the outcome of the game.

Lenz stepped up to the plate in a pressure-cooker situation: a runner on second, two outs and a tie game in extra innings. Rather than succumb to that pressure, however, Lenz hit a blistering line drive into left field.

The hit, officially counted as an RBI double, brought in Beil from second base to give the Pros a gritty 6-5 league win. Following the play, Lenz’s teammates surrounded and congratulated him as they celebrated the improbable turn of events.

“Pretty incredible,” Grant Union/Prairie City head coach RC Huerta said about Lenz’s performance. “I took a quick timeout and I told him, ‘Sheldon, just get back to basics.’ Lo and behold he got back to basics, saw the ball, hit the ball and executed the go-ahead run for us.”

Lenz was the unquestioned offensive pacesetter in the first game, finishing 2-5 at the plate with a team-high two RBIs. Lenz also got the win on the mound, pitching four innings and striking out four while surrendering two hits and a single run.

Beil, Workman, Suchorski and Baryn Huerta each finished the first game with an RBI for the Pros. Suchorski also split pitching duties in the first game with Lenz, finishing with five strikeouts while surrendering two hits and four runs.

The second game saw Lukas Blood’s bat come to life. Blood finished the game with four RBIs while going a perfect 3-3 at bat. Kingdon Kirby added two RBIs for the Pros while finishing 1-2 at the plate.

The Pros’ lone senior, Riddick Hutchison, was honored before the game, with his mother throwing the ceremonial first pitch before the slate of games got underway.

The Pros are now ranked No. 13 in the state and have quietly built a 16-4 record with a 10-2 league mark. The team was slated to be in action next in the 2A/1A Special District 7 playoff when they host Irrigon on Tuesday, May 9, at Malone Field.

“We stay together, we work hard. … They’ve just been prepared. We treat every game like a championship game,” Huerta said.

“I love these guys. They work hard, they look out for each other. A lot of positivity. It’s been good.”

If the Pros get by Irrigon, they have a second league playoff game on Friday, May 12, with an opponent and time to be determined.