RiverDogs in must-win situation after loss to Louisiana

Denham Springs 2 RiverDogs 1

NEWARK, Ohio — The Columbia Basin RiverDogs have put themselves in an unenviable position heading into their final game of pool play at the Babe Ruth World Series.

The RiverDogs mustered just one run and five hits Sunday and fell to Denham Springs, La., 2-1 at Don Edwards Park. The loss puts Columbia Basin at 1-2 in American Division pool play and means it'll have to upset defending champion San Gabriel Valley, Calif., on Monday to have any chance at advancing to the single-elimination round.

Even if the RiverDogs defeat their California opponents, it may not be enough. Depending on the results of other games, they could lose out on one of their bracket's top three seeds because of a runs-allowed tiebreaker.

The RiverDogs' predicament, manager Randy Boruff felt, is a direct result of not producing offensively. Basin managed one run on six hits Saturday in a 4-1 loss to Stamford, Conn.

"(Sunday's) game is nothing about pitching and really nothing about our defense," Boruff said. "That was about, strictly, we did not manufacture any runs."

It appeared as though the RiverDogs would pull out of their funk early on against Denham Springs. Cory Hitchcock reached on an infield single, stole second and scored on an Edward Rodriguez base hit, giving Basin a 1-0 lead after one inning.

But Denham starting pitcher Jared Ashford was extremely stingy after that. He also got two huge defensive plays in the third that kept the Dogs from scoring at least one run.

Hitchcock singled to lead off the third and moved to second on a wild pitch. But Denham second baseman Brent Courville made a tremendous stop of Rodriguez's hot shot, throwing Rodriguez out and holding Hitchcock at third.

Basin's next hitter, Zack Swart, sent a sinking line drive into center field. Denham's Toddrick Stevenson laid out and grabbed it at the last moment.

"That kind of set the tone," Denham Springs manager Jim McChristian said of the defensive gems. "We knew if we just hung in there, the bats would come."

It took until the sixth, but McChristian was correct in his thinking. Andrew Forbes smashed a one-out double inside the third-base bag. Chet Henderson followed with a long single into the left-field corner and Denham had the go-ahead run.

Forbes finished 2 for 2 with a walk, scored once and drove in his team's first run with a fourth-inning double off Basin starter Tyler Lesko.

"Andrew Forbes had a fantastic day at the plate," McChristian said. "That's his first start all year for us at shortstop. He's been playing right (field). He comes in and plays well defensively and has a great offensive day."

Lesko struggled with his command, walking four in three-plus innings, but kept his team in the game. Boruff said he went to Chase Hunter in the fourth because the situation warranted it.

"I kept telling (Lesko) all the time, 'I'm not going to stay with you,'" Boruff said. "This is a close ball game, I don't think we're going to get a lot of runs. I can't afford to have you walk guys around.'"

While Denham made a few late-game adjustments against Hunter, the RiverDogs didn't against Ashford, who struck out 12 in seven innings. He walked two batters and hit another while scattering five hits.

"Ashford was unbelievable," McChristian said. "He had command all day."

"Every time he threw a fastball, we hit it pretty well," Boruff lamented. "He kept giving us a steady diet (of curveballs) and we didn't adjust very well."

The game was important for both teams' hopes of advancing to single-elimination play on Wednesday. Denham now owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the RiverDogs.

"Those were two good ball clubs that stayed in there and battled to the very end," McChristian said. "Those are the games you find out where you are as a baseball team. It's not too great coaching-wise, because you pull every hair you have out."

Boruff is planning to keep Monday's game in its proper perspective. Even if the RiverDogs don't pull off the upset of San Gabriel Valley, the coach knows it won't spoil a fantastic season.

"Getting back here was the icing on the cake," he said. "We've played three pretty good ball games and, you know, if we get beat tomorrow and go home we have nothing to be ashamed of."