Easy Cuifici! Astoria Cruises In B.R. 13 State Opener
Matt Richert Reporting
Astoria catcher Keelin Cuifici went 4-for-4 with two doubles and two triples as Astoria blew away the Pendleton Americans 14-1 in five innings on the opening day of pool play at the North Oregon 13-year-old Babe Ruth State Tournament at Quinton Street Ballpark in The Dalles.
Andrew Bergeson started on the mound and allowed one run in three innings for the win. Will Samp closed with two innings of scoreless relief.
Astoria had 12 hits and two errors in the mercy rule-shortened contest, one of a number of blowouts on opening day.
"It was one-sided," said head coach Melton LuCore. "They were a pretty inexperienced team."
Astoria's next opponent also won easily as Snake River Valley knocked off Hermiston 14-4. The most suprising score of the day was Tualatin Hills 14-2 thrashing of a highly regarded Pendleton Nationals squad.
Astoria defeated Tualatin Hills in back-to-back games Friday to clinch the District 1 title at Aiken Field.
Today's matchup against the Ontario, Oregon based Snake RIver Valley will open play at 9:00 a.m. in The Dalles, follwed by Pendleton Nationals against Union County (La Grande) at noon, Tualatin Hills vs. The Dalles at 3:00 p.m. and Hermiston against Pendleton Nationals at 6:00 p.m.
