CRESWELL — So many firsts were accomplished last season for La Pine.

Most wins (24) in a single season. First appearance in the state playoffs in 15 years. One victory shy of the program’s first appearance in the semifinals since 1983.

This year seems like “an extension” of 2017, La Pine coach Bo DeForest said Tuesday after the Hawks secured yet another victory to remain undefeated in 2018.

With Angelo Roes striking out four batters over five innings and Jake Farnsworth closing out the sixth, Class 3A No. 3-ranked La Pine held Creswell to just one hit in a 12-0 baseball win in the Mountain Valley Conference opener for both teams.

“Even last year I felt like we were building through the whole year,” DeForest said. “We weren’t blowing anybody away. We were just barely winning. I feel like we’ve taken the next step in kind of burying people a little better.”

In their sixth game scoring 10 or more runs, the Hawks (7-0 overall) led 2-0 heading into the top of the fifth inning, when La Pine erupted for seven runs to build a dominant nine-run lead. Another three runs in the sixth allowed La Pine, the defending MVC champion, to open league play with a six-inning victory via the 10-run rule.

“We’re definitely putting up more runs this year,” DeForest said. “We’re deeper offensively.”

Alex Farnsworth went 2-for-3 with an RBI for La Pine, and Jake Farnsworth was 2-for-3 with a double. Roes, who threw just 51 pitches in five innings, added a double and two RBIs at the plate for the Hawks, who posted their third shutout this season after recording three all of last year.

“Last year, we were all juniors. Now we’re all seniors,” said DeForest, whose team boasts seven seniors. “We just have more depth, basically. Pitching, we’re stronger. And hitting, we’re stronger.”