Reduced roster makes little difference for RiverDogs
Amando DeLeon rounds third base during his Columbia RiverDogs' Saturday game against Portland Mound Time. The squad ended up 5-2 over the seven-game weekend homestand.
Columbia Basin Riverdogs pitcher Seth Darling was in action Saturday at Johnson-O'Brien Stadium when he took the mound against Portland Mound Time
EPHRATA - If it wasn't a graduation, it was some other baseball event which would deplete the Columbia Basin RiverDogs' roster during most of its seven-game homestand this weekend at Johnson-O'Brien Stadium.
But no matter, the team has a proud tradition, and if a player is on the roster it doesn't matter if they are the best player or the 30th best player, all are expected to rise to the challenge.
This weekend they more than did that as the RiverDogs went 5-2 overall and upper their record to 15-6 on the season despite missing at least six of their top players over their last five games for the various reasons mentioned.
"I thought we didn't quit in any game especially the two games we lost," RiverDogs manager Randy Boruff said. "They just need to hone in on base running skills, need to know how to bunt, know their coverages, and extended leads when running. There are some basic things that separate the average player from the good player and those need to get done."
Things got off to a hot start on Friday as the RiverDogs swept the Spokane Crew 17-0 and 7-1. The second game was called after four innings due to rain.
Josh Snider (Ephrata) was the winning pitcher in game one as he threw a two-hitter while punching out five Crew batters. Davis Engel (Skagit Valley CC) went 4-for-4 with four runs scored to lead an offense that pounded out 15 hits in their four at bats before the mercy rule was put into affect.
In the nightcap, the RiverDogs' bats were held in check, but they got solid pitching in return as Nick Laszlo (Moses Lake) went the four innings and allowed five hits in the win.
Jacob Yamane (Warden) went 2-for-3 and hit a fourth inning home run. Bryton Redal (Moses Lake) also went 2-for-3.
On Saturday, with the Moses Lake High School graduation pulling a number of RiverDogs from the roster, the team got off to a slow start in losing 10-3 to Portland Mound Time despite out hitting their guests 10-9.
Seth Darling went the distance for CBRD.
Cole Gilman (3-for-3) and Engel finished 2-for-4 to carry the RiverDogs' bats. Gillman also made a spectacular catch in right field during the third inning.
The team got out of their funk a couple of hours later as they drilled Mound Time 8-2 to gain a measure of revenge.
Engel was the winning pitcher as he scattered four hits and he was backed by a strong offensive output led by Snider's 3-for-3 outing and Yamane's second homer of the weekend.
Wrapping up the evening, the RiverDogs held off the Kent Bulldogs 5-1.
Moses Lake High School's Luke Valdez continued his hot pitching start with a six-hit effort to record another win.
Gilman went 2-for-4 and Devin Juarez (MLHS) finished 2-for-3.
The River Dogs put the game away with three runs in their half of the fifth inning to help combat three errors.
Yesterday, the squad split on the day as they pounded Eastside Baseball 14-3 in the morning game but fell 6-3 to the Spokane Dodgers later in the afternoon to wrap up their marathon weekend.
Against, Eastside, the RiverDogs scored seven times in the first inning and would bring across at least one run in every inning before wrapping up the five-inning mercy-rule win.
Tony Hernandez (MLHS) earned the win while the team registered 11 hits. Amando DeLeon (Othello) ended up 3-for-3 with two RBI, David Garza batted 2-for-2 with three RBI and Matt Benner (Big Bend CC) went 2-for-2.
The Dodgers held the RiverDogs to seven hits and used an early three-run lead to hold off their hosts.
Mitch Yada (MLHS) started and pitched the first six innings for the River Dogs, giving up five runs before being spelled by Valdez.
The ability to go deep into the roster to make up for the holes in what is considered the top, or blue, team lineup, bodes well for the RiverDogs as the Babe Ruth World Series creeps ever closer. The final roster for the World Series team is due July 10 while the remaining players will be the official Desert Dogs squad that could also get to the big tournament if they qualify through the tournament process.
"I was really pleased for the most part," Boruff said. "In five of the seven games we had good energy. The 33 guys are getting better as a group. We are split into two teams but it is not the final representation of what we will submit on July 10. I could name 14-15 guys who could be on the RiverDogs top team and now we have a bunch of guys competing for the last spots on the 18-man roster."