Columbia Basin sweeps Big Bend Vikings drop four games in a row

It wasn't Big Bend's day to play baseball.

After a solid pitching performance by Josh Bryant threw the first seven innings of work in game one, the Viking defense gave up two runs in the eighth for the 4-1 loss in game one against Columbia Basin in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Hawks needed only eight innings to drop Big Bend in game two with a 12-2 win.

"He pitched the hell out of it and did everything we wanted him to do," Big Bend pitching coach Dave Heaverlo said.

The sweep was the second-in-a-row for the Vikings, who fell to 3-5 in the NWAACC East region.

Bryant recorded one earned run on seven hits and struck out five Columbia Basin batters in the seven innings. Heaverlo commended the Hawks for its ability to come up with the big hits and blamed the Vikings at bats for the loss.

"In the first game, if we get a base hit here or there, that is the difference in this ball game," Heaverlo added.

The other factor playing role in the match up against the Hawks was the use of freshman on the field. Head coach Don Lindgren used nine different freshmen in the two games, who went 4-for-22 with two RBIs, six strike outs and two errors against the Hawks.

Heaverlo stuck freshman Rick Templeton on the mound in game two and went six innings, allowed seven runs on eight hits.

Heaverlo said his freshman pitcher did what was expected against the potent Hawks lineup, who finished the game with 26 hits in 72 at bats and drove in a total of 16 runs in the doubleheader.

"They played well and we didn't," Heaverlo said. "They got some two out hits and we didn't."

Kris McClaskey led off the second inning of game one with a single to left field, advanced to second off another single by Cedric Steinshouer to center, moved to third on a bunt by Travis Didier and scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Brown.

Bryant allowed only three base runners in the first four innings, but after striking out Chris Stinson to start the fifth inning, gave up a double to Joey Sahlin, who went 2-5 in the first game and 3-5 in the second game and an RBI.

Sahlin scored on a two-out single by Chad Nelson to right field to tie the game.

Aaron Frenter came in the eighth and gave up two runs on two hits, but managed to end the inning before the Hawks could do any more damage with the bases loaded.

Rob Sears gave Columbia Basin some insurance in the ninth inning with a two-out RBI single to left field to score Brody O'Connor to take a 4-1.

Steinshouer drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the ninth, but Joe Evans popped out to the short stop to end the inning, handing the Hawks the first game with a 4-1 win.

"We just aren't coming up with the big base hit," Heaverlo said.

The Hawks didn't stop in the second game, knocking Templeton for seven runs, six earned in six innings of work. Ian Farmer provided the defense stop for the Hawks on the mound, allowing two runs on five hits with seven strike outs.

Big Bend focused on the future with seven freshmen in the lineup during the game.

"It won't look good on Monday in the papers, but for the future it will bode well," Heaverlo said.

McClaskey went 1-3 in game two and drove in the first run of the game in the first inning with an RBI double off the left field wall. Camron Iverson picked up the second RBI with a ground out to second base with the bases loaded in the second inning.

The Hawks scored two runs in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead and four runs in the sixth, including a double by Nelson down the right field line to score two runs.

Steinshouer allowed five runs in the eighth in relief for the Vikings to lose 12-2 in eight innings.

Big Bend's drop didn't sit well with head coach Don Lindgren, who declined to comment to the media after the game.

"I think we have enough talent there, but if a kid doesn't believe in his ability we are going to plug in someone else," Heaverlo said. "They need to keep battling and there is a lot of baseball still to play."