Bulldogs nip Warden

CASHMERE, Wash. — The Warden Cougars traveled to Cashmere Friday afternoon to take on the Bulldogs in non-conference baseball competition.

After a close contest, the Bulldogs managed to nip the Cougars for a 6-1 victory.

Warden head coach Dan Caballero said his team played well for the majority of Friday’s contest.

“It was a good game until the fourth (inning),” he said. “We struggled a little bit on the mound. We walked a couple batters and they got a pretty good rally going and scored six runs. We had a 1-0 lead at that point.”

Warden starting pitcher Geo Flores pitched five innings in the loss before relief pitcher Michael Smith came on to finish the game for the Cougars.

With winter temperatures plaguing the Columbia Basin throughout preseason practice, Caballero said the weather has been a hindrance to start the season.

“We had some cold weather the first couple of weeks so we have seen limited live pitching,” he said. “We just couldn’t put hits together (against Cashmere).”

Although Warden fell at Cashmere, Caballero said his team is still playing its non-conference schedule.

“It’s still early on,” he said. “Things can only get better. That Cashmere team was pretty solid.”

Caballero said one inning ultimately doomed his team Friday, but he is impressed with how his team has progressed so far this season.

“At a point where we don’t know who our No. 2 pitcher is, I am encouraged,” he said. “Once everything starts coming together, we will be OK. The kids need to start believing in themselves. The kids need to start competing.”

Caballero said his team is inexperienced and will improve over the course of the season.

“We got a couple of young kids in the line up,” he said.

Although Warden is young, the future remains bright for the Cougars.

Cashmere managed to hold the Cougars to just three hits Friday afternoon, all coming off of the bats of Warden freshmen.

Freshman Derek Pruneda led the Warden offense going 2-for-4 and was responsible for the Cougars’ lone run, coming in the top of the second on an RBI single. Freshman Ty Jesse had Warden’s third hit and finished the game 1-for-2.

Despite the loss to Cashmere, Caballero said he is inspired.

“We have a lot of up and coming players,” he said. “We are a pretty young team. Hopefully we can build momentum and start swinging the bats better.”

With Warden’s South Central Athletic Conference East opener April 11, Caballero has confidence in his ball club.

“I think we will be a good team,” he said.

Warden returns to the diamond April 4 following spring break. The Cougars will host the Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars Saturday in a doubleheader non-conference series. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 11 a.m.