Irrigon Knights' First Trip A 1-0 Success in all NE Game

But for the opportunity to play in a PAC-10 facility, it would be more convenient to play the 2A/1A Softball championship game in Pendleton. Certainly it would result in more local fans in attendance for the two teams from rural Northeast Oregon, and a lot less mud and rain.

The game also serves as proof that the expanded playoffs compared to years ago are not a series of exhibitions that don't really affect the championship, as both teams were third seeds.

Coach Jake McElligott led the Irrigon Knights (18-8, 6-5), the third seed from Special District #5, to the playoffs for the third straight year, and to their first title game appearance. In fact, Irrigon is the only new face in the title games below 6A, as the other seven squads are all back from last year.

While both teams regularly hail from the 2A Blue Mountain league, for softball the OSAA divides up the league, and sprinkles in some squads from the 1A Old Oregon circuit. The teams still met early in the season, when Union beat Irrigon 2-0 in a 5 inning game on March 23^rd. It was Union's third game of the day, and Irrigon's second, in the Irrigon tournament.

25 minutes before scheduled first pitch, with light rain still falling (it rained most of the morning in Corvallis), Coach Phillips has the Lady Cats in warmups. Most of the infield is in surprisingly good condition, but there is standing water along the edge of the grass all around the infield, and down both lines. The outfield can be charitably described as soggy.

If any of this weekend's games are rained out, they will be played on Sunday.

Westside teams are experienced in playing under similar conditions, but eastside teams likely have never seen this much water. The key to the game of mudball is to drive the ball, because this field, especially the outfield, will cause some errors.

A couple of wet ball balls leads to a leadoff walk for Jessica Henrichs, and she goes to third on a sacrifice, and a wet ball that gets away on the throw to third.

Irrigon's Jessica Henrichs looks to score what would be the game's only run.

The mud makes Jordan Roberts mishandle a grounder, and have to go to first, and Henricks scores.

1-0 Irrigon after one after an infield fly.

Irrigon pitcher Noelle Wright doesn't have as many problems with slick balls as Jessica Reynolds did, and gets three put outs in the field.

Irrigon's Noelle Wright struck out 8 while allowing 2 hits and 3 walks.

They bring out a bucket of dirt between innings to try to dry up the circle.

Staci Stagner draws a two out walk, and steals second when Alistacia Anderson can't hold on to the wet ball. But a strikeout ends the threat.

Irrigon's Staci Stagner is safe after Union Shortstop Alistacia Anderson can't make the play.

Anderson swims (walks) to lead off the bottom of the second, but gets a poor pushoff, and is thrown out in the puddle stealing second. Phillips asks for an appeal, and while the out stands, it does buy time for the deluge to let up. Brighter skys to the east promise an improvement in an inning or two.

Irrigon's Leslie Coffman (6) puts Unions Alistacia Anderson (9) out on a steal attempt.

Wright gets two grounders, which just stop in the mud, and gets out of another inning.

The rain fiinally relents as the third inning starts, and a great catch at first by Meagan McCabe, and a close putout, shuts down Irrigon.

Wright has the better stuff so far, and strikes out the side. Union is way off, while Irrigon has at least made contact. 1-0 after three.

Wright opens the fourth with a deep drive to right, but in the heavy air, it is just a long out. Kim Campos lines one down the third base line though, and Stephanie Chairez comes in to run. A mudball error on the throw to first on Leslie Coffman's bunt puts two runners in scoring position, and brings Phillips out to try to keep this from getting away right now.

Two strikeouts strand the runners though, and Union stays alive.

Irrigon was unable to drive in an additional run in the fourth inning.

A running scoop catch in the right field gap by Breena Tolar saves what would have been a double by Reynolds. Wright slips and serves up a walk, and Coach McElligott insists some work be done on the pitchers' footing. Another 5 gallon bucket of dry dirt comes out.

Breena Tolar makes a scooping catch in right field.

A question for OSU head groundskeeper Jess Lewis is has OSU used up all their field dry? An eight yard dump truck load of it would have the field in good shape again.

The answer is "We don't use any drying agent on this field," according to Lewis. "We use terfus over at Goss (the baseball stadium), but the people that put in this field advised us not to. This soil doesn't mix well with it, so we can just add more dry dirt."

Two infield popouts gets Wright out of it, and it is still 1-0 going to the fifth.

Reynolds mows down the 8 & 9 slot hitters, and after Henricks singles to center, gets an Ariel Schock pop up to end the inning. But she needs some run support if Union is to defend their title.

Union pitcher Jessica Reynolds struck out 11 Knight batters.

A wet field single by Jessica Poe is a good start, but a bouncer to Wright allows her to take the lead runner out. It should have been a double play, but hesitation for the lack of footing allows Chelsea Wyant to reach. But thinking the next strikeout was the third out, she walks off toward the dugout, and is easily thrown out to end the inning!

The sun starts to peek out for the 6th. inning. Had they tarped the field and waited one hour, the field conditions would not have determined the nature of the game.

Now that she has some footing, Reynolds is really on, firing two strikeouts.

Irrigon's Alicia Mego (3) draws a strike on a bunt attempt.

Leslie Coffman lines one down the left field line for the Knights, but slips rounding first, and another double isn't. She steals, and should be out by 10 feet, but the wet ball is uncatchable. A third strikeout quiets the excitement.

Six outs left for the Lady Cats Becca Riomondo pinch hits for Shalee Kimball, but grounds out softly.

Bottom of the order batter Sara Bauer strikes out on three pitches, and Reynolds does on four. Still the Knights 1-0, with one inning left.

Reynolds makes good use of the high strike call, and short work of the Knights.

2-3-4 batters up for Union, and they have to push a run across, something they haven't come close to all game.

Jordan Roberts drops a single in behind second, and Shanna Riomondo walks on five pitches. Out comes McElligott.

Anderson drives one off Wright's glove, but Wright picks up the ball and gets the lead runner at third. Wright bounces a pitch, and the runners move up! She comes right back and strikes out Jessica Poe. Wyant up, and out swinning!

The Knights win their first team title in any sport! "These girls have created a buzz in the community," McElligott said. "I have 12 of the toughest girls around, and today, that was the difference."

Adverse conditions early dominated the game, which was much more about the mental aspect of the circumstances than the physical abilities of the players.

"We obviously couldn't prepare for this," MeElligott said, "but we have had a lot of adversity all season. We play in the wind, under different, but still tough conditions. And we had three long, tough road trips. So we are used to having to focus."

Something Union struggled to do all game long, and Irrigon continued to do, even once conditions improved. "Noelle was suffering from stomach cramps in the later part of the game, but she took that same mental approach, that there is no game tomorrow to worry about, and refused to yield."

Team mental toughness came into play at the plate as well. Wright explained "The first time we played them, we had a lot of strikeouts. Today, we were much more disciplined. We had to be."

Which Union was not as good at. "I was able to get my rise ball working," Wright explained. By getting a number of strikes on balls high and out of the strike zone, Wright managed a two hitter.

Reynolds still fired 11 strikeouts, agsinst only two bases on balls, but the Lady Cats never approached mounting a threat until their last at bat. When they did, they didn't rattle Wright. "I just pitched where where coach told me to pitch."

With the game to be decided by poise rather than skill, many expected that to favor the favored Union squad, with more seniors, and more playoff experience. But as Wrigt explained, "We are used to being underdogs. We wanted all season to show people we aren't really the underdogs."

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