Columbia Basin stumbles to Bakersfield

Bakersfield's Garewal hits two-run home run to put game away

PURCELLVILLE, Va. - Chuck Hansen went offensive-minded and nearly got shut out by a Bakersfield defense.

Derek Elder drove in Edward Rodriguez for the only Columbia Basin run in a 5-1 loss to unbeaten Bakersfield, Calif. (3-0), the Pacific Southwest regional champions. Columbia Basin (1-1) falls to a two-way tie with Stamford, Conn. with two games remaining in pool play at the 16 year-old Babe Ruth World Series in Loudoun County, Va.

"I have some concerns, we started our best nine guys and some of those guys just plain did nothing," said Hansen, manager for the River Dogs. "I have some concerns about that, but we will work on that tomorrow."

Hansen said he put his top hitters into the lineup to face a Bakersfield defense that gave up six errors in a come-from-behind win over Nederland, Texas (1-2) on Sunday. Columbia Basin batted 7-for-27 with one run scored, reaching on the only Bakersfield error committed in the game in the fourth inning.

The loss puts Columbia Basin and Stamford into a tie for the final two spots of the American League division. Stamford defeated Nederland 7-3 Monday night.

Northern Fairfax (0-2) has not won a game, but is not yet out of the tournament with a bye on Monday. Bakersfield clinches the No. 1 seed for the American League and take a bye in the first round on Thursday, Aug. 19.

If Columbia Basin wins out, they will tie for first place with Bakersfield, but take the No. 2 seed due to head-to-head competition.

"Other than that, we are still in this, we just need to get to the playoffs and then play your best ball," Hansen said.

Hansen put Mike Ratigan on the mound against the Bakersfield lineup to start the game. Tyler Garewal opened the game with a bunt single down the first baseline and avoided a tag by Columbia Basin first baseman Zane Bator. Bakersfield short stop Fabian Rivera followed up with a single and both runners scored on Casey Brown's double to right field.

After a two-run inning, Ratigan retired 10 straight batters over the span of four innings.

"We had to get him focused, I think he was a little nervous," Hansen said.

Bakersfield dialed in on the right-hander for a run in the sixth, with Brown driving in his third run of the game, but hitting into a 6-4-3 double play. Garewal extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the seventh with a two-run home run to right field off Ratigan.

For Columbia Basin, their only successful inning came in the fourth with a lead off walk from Rodriguez. Jeff Jack moved him to third on a slap single to right field and Rodriguez scored on Rivera's throwing error, allowing Scott Elder to reach base with no outs.

Reid Forrest followed Elder, missing a suicide bunt squeeze attempt that struck him out on a pitch in the dirt and caught Jack on a rundown between third base and home plate.

"They were just walking up to the plate and not having a plan," Hansen said. "We keep talking to them to have a plan and walk up there knowing what you are going to do."

Hansen said this was a wake up call for his team, who has stranded eight runners in scoring position in the last two games. His attempt to put his best hitting lineup against a weak Bakersfield defense was stopped by opposing pitcher Robert Ruiz.

Ruiz went five innings, allowing five hits and one run, while striking out five during his time on the mound. Bakersfield brought in Chris Smith in the sixth who gave up two hits, including a seventh inning double to Andrew Moron.

"They hit the ball well and our guys didn't execute like they needed to," Hansen said. "We had guys on base and we could have won this game and should have won this game."

Bakersfield 2 0 1 0 0 1 2 5 6 1

Columbia Basin 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 7 0

Columbia Basin Bakersfield, Calif.

AB R H RBI AB R H RBI

LF Redal 4 0 1 0 RF Garewal 3 2 2 2

CF Miller 3 0 0 0 SS Rivera 4 1 1 0

P Ratigan 4 0 2 0 C Davisson 2 0 0 0

SS Rodriguez 2 1 0 0 3B Himenes 3 0 1 0

3B Jack 3 0 1 0 2B Brown 3 0 1 3

2B Elder 2 0 1 1 P Ruiz 3 0 0 0

RF Forrest 3 0 0 0 LF Burleson 2 1 1 0

1B Bator 2 0 0 0 CF Burtchaell 3 0 0 0

C Moron 2 0 1 0 1B Pennington 2 0 0 0

PH Clark 1 0 1 0 PH Inman 1 0 0 0

PH Sorensen 1 0 0 0 PR Eskew 0 1 0 0

Total: 27 1 7 1 26 5 6 5