PENDLETON — La Grande dropped to second place in the Greater Oregon League standings with two losses in Pendleton on Friday, May 10.

The Buckaroos jumped out early in the first game, needing only five innings to claim a 13-3 victory. Carli Strand took the loss, going the entire game allowing 14 hits, while recording no strikeouts. The Tigers committed one error for the game and saw Pendleton/Nixyaawii’s Avery Krigbaum hit two balls over the fence.

Pendleton/Nixyaawii jumped out early, leading 7-1 in the first inning. Back-to-back home runs in the second inning upped the lead to 9-3.

The La Grande bats were quiet also, picking up only three hits in the loss. A lone highlight was a home run by Marti Anderson.

Game two was closer with Pendleton/Nixyaawii taking an 8-6 victory. Again, the Buckaroos took an early lead in the game with the score standing at 4-1 after the first inning.

Austyn Meuser took the mound for La Grande in the game, striking out two Buckaroos while allowing 18 hits in the 33 batters faced. Krigbaum added two additional home runs in this game for the Pendleton/Nixyaawii.

The Tigers managed eight hits in the game, including a three-run home run by Strand in the top of the seventh.

La Grande concludes the 4A Greater Oregon League season with a 9-3 showing, second in the league standings behind Pendleton/Nixyaawii.

The Tigers (17-3 overall) return to the home field on May 14, hosting 2A/1A Weston-McEwen/Griswold (18-3 overall) for a nonleague game. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.