BAKER CITY — The La Grande softball team remained undefeated for the season and claimed the team’s 4A Greater Oregon League season openers with a trip to Baker City on Tuesday, April 2.

The Tigers needed only five innings in the first game of the doubleheader, downing the Bulldogs 16-1. Game two even less effort as La Grande put up 15 runs in just four innings in a 15-0 mercy rule win over Baker/Powder Valley.

Junior Austyn Meuser took the mound for game one, going the distance for the Tigers.

The right-hander sent nine Bulldogs back to the dugout on strikeouts while allowing only three hits in the five innings.

Offensively, La Grande found the big bat with junior Marti Anderson hitting two home runs for the game. The Tigers notched 13 hits for the game.

“Baker’s pitcher kept our hitting off to begin the game,” La Grande head coach Walt Anderson said. “Once the girls came up to bat for the second time, we figured her out.”

The bats stayed busy in game two with the Tigers accounting for nine hits in the 15-run shortened by rule game.

Meuser received a break as fellow junior Carlee Strand pitched the second game, striking out seven Baker/Powder Valley batters and allowing no hits.

La Grande (7-0 overall, 2-0 4A Greater Oregon League) returns with a perfect record to the home field on April 4 with a nonleague game versus the 3A Pioneers of McLoughlin (2-5 overall). Game time is 4 p.m.