BAKER SOFTBALL: Bulldogs roll past Marsing, 29-19

Ian Crawford, Baker City Herald, Ore.
Updated ·3 min read

Apr. 10—Bats were cracking like wood on fire Saturday afternoon, April 8 in Marsing, Idaho, as the Baker softball team had its best offensive game by far, rolling past the Huskies 29-19 in a nonleague game.

"We had a good trip to Marsing," Baker coach Sonny Gulick said. "Girls got off the bus and were ready to play."

Baker, which scored 17 runs in its first five games — four of those losses — exploded for eight runs in the first inning at Marsing.

Kaci Anderson, Kellee Dixon, Reagan Ritter and Raegan Gulick all had RBI hits in the inning.

"Reagan Ritter started in the circle and was solid for three innings," coach Gulick said. "We had the lead when I pulled her but we were not able to hold the lead so she could get the win. I really like how she just digs in and battles in the circle."

After Baker scored seven more runs in the top of the third to lead 15-6, the Huskies rallied with eight runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead at 16-15.

But Baker responded immediately with three runs in the top of the fourth to regain the lead for good at 18-16.

Raegan Gulick singled and scored on a passed ball. Kaci Anderson had another RBI single and later scored on another passed ball.

Raegan Gulick replaced Ritter in the circle in the fourth and, after struggling with control initially, she settled down and held the Huskies to only one run in the final three innings. Gulick had six strikeouts.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, added to their lead, scoring eight more runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh.

"Our defense played better today," coach Gulick said. "Had some good plays by (Lilly) Wilson, (Kaydence) Thomas and (Sydney) Fry in the outfield. Dixon and (Alexis) Rupel had a couple of great plays in the infield to end an inning. Rupel caught a hard line drive at first and turned an unassisted double play to end the game."

Although Baker amassed 16 hits, Gulick said the Bulldogs still have work to do at the plate.

"On offense we had far too many strikeouts, especially looking," he said. "We need to cut those numbers down significantly."

Baker had 17 strikeouts.

"Despite the strikeouts we did a good job getting on base," Gulick said. "You know it is a good day offensively when girls are getting seven plate appearances."

Raegan Gulick led the offensive onslaught, going 5 for 6 with a bases-clearing triple and a double. She scored five runs and drove in five.

Kaci Anderson was 3 for 5 with four runs scored and four RBIs. Fry was 2 for 3 and scored four runs, Makayla Rabourne was 3 for 6, including a solo home run in the sixth, with five runs scored and three RBIs, Dixon was 2 for 5 with three runs scored and three RBIs, and Ritter had Baker's final hit, a run-scoring single.

"It was nice to finally play in some nice weather. I am very proud of their efforts today," coach Gulick said.

Baker returns to action for its home opener on Friday, April 14 when the Bulldogs play host to Pendleton in a Greater Oregon League doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. at the Sports Complex.

Baker 8 0 7 3 8 1 2 — 29

Marsing 4 2 8 4 0 1 0 — 19