RiverDogs still alive in series just barely
San Gabriel Valley 5 RiverDogs 0
NEWARK, Ohio — Two days ago, Denham Springs, La., dealt what appeared to be a serious blow to Columbia Basin RiverDogs' chances of advancing at the Babe Ruth World Series.
Yesterday, Denham Springs saved the RiverDogs' season.
Denham Springs knocked off Stamford, Conn., 2-1 on Monday night, a victory that — temporarily, at least — kept the RiverDogs in contention for the third seed in American Division play.
Columbia Basin will still need Stamford to lose Tuesday against San Gabriel Valley, Calif., a game that begins at 5 p.m. Eastern time. Stamford will also have to give up at least four runs, giving the RiverDogs the edge in a runs-allowed tiebreaker.
The RiverDogs are done with pool play and will await the outcome of Tuesday's contest before learning their fate. If Columbia Basin advances as the No. 3 seed, they will play Wednesday at 5 p.m. against the National Division's second seed.
Game 4
San Gabriel Valley
The baseball powerhouse from San Gabriel has been nearly perfect in its first three outings of the tournament.
Monday, the RiverDogs came closer than any team thus far to upsetting the defending World Series champions. But the RiverDogs needed more than just a close loss, and the 5-0 setback to San Gabriel has them perilously close to an early exit from the tournament.
The Dogs got a gutsy pitching performance from 17-year-old Travis Ruffin, but Ruffin didn't get nearly the offensive support he needed. San Gabriel has outscored its three World Series opponents 28-0, and Basin has managed just two runs in its last three games after a 12-run outburst against Muskingum Valley, Ohio.
"We're 1-3 right now and you can't say it's been pitching - it's been lack of hitting," RiverDogs manager Randy Boruff said.
Ruffin was knocked around in the first two innings, surrendering four runs on six hits. But the senior-to-be was much sharper in his last three-plus innings, allowing one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out one, a performance that bordered on outstanding, considering the opponents.
"He deserved better than what he got up on the board," Boruff said. "Considering the fact that Travis is a junior and has never pitched in a big ball game like that, to pitch against maybe the world champions…he's got to feel good about it. I feel good about it.
"I've always thought that Travis is a kid that we could put on the mound and win with," Boruff added, "'cause he'll keep you in the ball game."
For the third straight day, however, the Dogs' offense ran into a pitcher it couldn't solve. San Gabriel's Chris Eusebio was masterful, going six shutout innings while mixing in three hits, no walks and two Ks.
Eusebio wasn't a part of last year's World Series winners, but has enjoyed his first trip to Ohio nonetheless.
"I was just going into the game like (it was) any other team," he said. "Just play the game, throw strikes, get outs and just rely on my defense to do most of the work."
Eusebio got all the support he'd need after Tony Andrade singled and Kris Kauppila walked to start the game. Andrade scored on David Carrillo's groundout and Kauppila raced in on a Dustin Emmons double.
San Gabriel used Eusebio's steal of home and Kauppila's RBI double to make it 4-0 in the second. The Californians' final score came in the fifth when Josh Page singled home Emmons.
Chris Sattler pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Dogs. He hasn't allowed a run in four innings of work at the World Series.
Knowing the scenario his squad faces in advancing to single-elimination play on Wednesday, Boruff was honest when asked Monday about the possibility.
"Do I feel like we deserve to be there when we're 1-3? No," he said. "But stranger things have happened. You could still be 1-3, win three games in a row and come home national champs.
"Anything can happen in that situation and our pitching's in pretty good shape," Boruff added. "(Cory) Hitchcock's arm feels pretty good and (Zack) Swart was getting the rest he needs and I've still got Marc Garza who can throw."