NEWS

Cripe homers twice, Celts earn first win of the season while going 1-2 at Spring Break tournament

Cooper Cripe swings at a pitch against Glencoe High School on March 30, at Adrienne C. Nelson High School. (JOSHUA MANES/Keizertimes)

Cooper Cripe had an offensive explosion for the McNary Celtics during the Nelson Spring Break Tournament at Adrienne C. Nelson High School. 

The Celtics went 1-2 at the tournament, with their fourth game canceled with the Celtics up 6-1 in the first inning due to rain.

Cripe homered in each of the first two games of the tournament. He finished the tournament batting over .700, with seven RBIs, eight runs scored and two home runs. 

The Celts lost the opening game to Glencoe High School 20-10 on Thursday, March 30. Cripe had eight total bases for McNary on the day. 

Evan Lawson also homered for the Celtics, a two-run shot that brought Cripe across in the fourth inning.

The two teams combined for five home runs.

The Celts lone win came in the second game of the tournament, a 16-5 contest with Franklin High School.

Jordan Araiza had five RBIs for the Celts against Franklin. He was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. Araiza finished the week going 5-for-8 with seven RBIs and four runs scored.

The third, and final official game for the Celtics at the Nelson tournament was a 15-4 loss against Hood River Valley.

The Celtics got out to a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third, where Hood River Valley exploded for seven runs.

The Eagles tacked on another eight in the bottom of the fourth inning, and the game ended after McNary failed to score in the top of the fifth.

Against Forest Grove, McNary scored six in the first inning, but the game was called with only one out in the bottom of the first, the Celtics up 6-1.