Desert Dogs begin tournament tonight

Team plays Port Angeles tonight

EPHRATA - The future is bright for baseball in the Columbia Basin, and Columbia Basin Desert Dogs manager Chuck Hansen said his team is up for the challenge.

While the River Dogs hope to advance beyond this week's Babe Ruth state tournament, Hansen said his team is there for the experience.

"This is about the River Dogs advancing," Hansen said. "If we make it, it's just frosting."

The Columbia Basin Desert dogs are a developmental team for the River Dogs. The goal for the Desert Dogs is to prepare baseball players to make the step up to the River Dogs, Hansen said.

Columbia Basin River Dog manager Randy Boruff said the Desert Dogs are a young, rebuilding team. While the River Dogs have six 18-year-old athletes, the Desert Dogs have only two. The Desert Dogs also have six, 17-year old players and 10, 16-year-old players, Boruff said.

"We are a younger team," Hansen said. "We play good, solid ball."

While the Desert Dog program is used primarily for developing talent for the River Dogs, Hansen is satisfied with his team's abilities.

"We have a little bit of speed," Hansen said. "Not as much speed as the River Dogs have, but we have guys who can hit pretty well."

Hansen said the Desert Dogs must capitalize with runners on base this week, if his team is to advance at the state tournament.

The Desert Dogs practiced Monday at Ephrata High School, and Hansen took the opportunity to help his players make adjustments for success this week.

"We are trying to tweak swings," he said. "We have been leaving a lot of guys in scoring position lately. This weekend we can't do that."

The Desert Dogs play Port Angeles at 5 p.m. tonight in the opening round of the Babe Ruth state tournament at Ephrata High School.