La Grande Little League All-Star shortstop Jonah Jayne tags out a Dublin, California, runner at second base as teammate Cade McKinley looks on, during the Junior League Baseball West Regionals in Bend, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. 

LA GRANDE — Continuing a tradition of youth baseball excellence, the La Grande Little League All-Star team picked up a state championship and recently competed in the regional playoffs.

“This is just a great group,” said La Grande coach Steve Fredrick. “It was a pretty wild ride in a very short period of time.”

The All-Star team is composed of players from the four La Grande area teams, ages 13 and 14 years. Once the roster was decided, the 12 players hit the practice field to prepare for postseason tournaments.

La Grande started the push with a 15-5 victory over Columbia County in the first round of the playoffs. The second round saw the toughest game of the tournament as La Grande downed Baker City, 3-2.

“That game was just a pitchers’ duel,” said Fredrick.

After Baker City fought through the opposite side of the bracket, La Grande had an easier time in the second meeting of the two teams, winning 13-3.

A quick few days of practice and the La Grande team was off to Prineville for the state tournament. La Grande opened with a big 15-0 victory over Cascade Salem before suffering its first loss, 8-6, to Murray Hill of Beaverton. La Grande immediately rebounded with a 10-5 win over Bend South. In a winner-take-all game, La Grande avenged the earlier loss to Murray Hill in large fashion, winning 9-0 and taking the state title.

“It was big for this team to come back and beat a team we lost to earlier in the tournament,” Fredrick said.

In a stroke of luck, the Junior League Baseball West Regionals took place in Bend. A quick pack of clothes combined with community sponsors stepping up allowed the La Grande team to make the five-hour trip.

La Grande opened the regional in a come-from-behind victory over Washington City, Utah, 8-6.

Then La Grande met the squad from Honolulu, Hawaii, a team with a history of success, including a final-four finish in the 2021 Little League World Series. Honolulu downed La Grande, 11-1.

“Honolulu is the best middle school team I have seen,” Fredrick said.

Transferring to the opposite side of the bracket, La Grande rebounded with a 6-4 win over Juneau, Alaska, followed by a 15-4 victory over Bend North. In the final game of the year for La Grande, the team led going into the fifth inning before errors against Dublin, California, cost the squad a victory. As the final pitch of the year was thrown, La Grande fell in a 5-1 decision.

“This group has been together since age 9,” Fredrick said, explaining the success. “Our goal is to have them play 25 to 30 games on the big field before they hit high school. La Grande is a baseball community, and this team could not do what they did without the support of the sponsors and all the great parents that were with us all the way. We only had five days between the state tournament in Prineville and regionals in Bend, and the community came through for the team.”

One player hoping for a repeat trip to regionals next season is Aaden Bonanno, of Imbler, the team’s catcher.

“I still have one more year of middle school, so I am looking forward to next season,” said Bonanno, who also plays basketball and football for the Panthers. “I plan on playing baseball in high school and want to play the game as long as I can. Making it all the way to the regionals was a memory I will have forever. The team is made up of friends I will have forever.”

Bonanno’s sentiments were echoed by his teammate

Oakley Fredrick, the team’s centerfielder.

“Even though we did not win it all, this is a great team,” said Fredrick, also a player for La Grande in football, basketball, wrestling and golf. “Seeing and playing against a team like Hawaii was a highlight of our season. Hawaii plays baseball year-round.”

With the uniforms washed and the mitts put away, Coach Fredrick now looks toward next season. “We will return just three players from this squad so we will be young,” he said. “But La Grande has a great youth program, and we just wait to see what is coming.”