RiverDogs split first two High Desert Classic games
EPHRATA - A sloppy first game would ultimately lead to a frustrating loss to end a long day for the Columbia Basin RiveDogs on Thursday night.
The squad opened up play at the High Desert Classic with a 6-4 early afternoon win over the Seattle Broncos at Johnson-O'Brien Stadium but would ultimately drop a 3-2 evening decision against the Walla Walla Bears to start off pool play 1-1.
"The kids are learning how to play the game and they're basically high school kids that are being put into a way a college program is run," RiverDogs' manager Randy Boruff said. "The kids need to step it up if they want to play at the next level. They may be in overload mode since there is so much information there. They may not be playing as free, but this is what we need in order to be ready for the World Series.
In the first game, the RiverDogs (16-12) got off to a strong start, taking a 2-0 lead after the first quarter after Cameron Alvarado (Moses Lake HS) walked, Stockton Taylor
(Brewster) doubled, and Josh Snider (Ephrata) singled home the Chief for the first run. A Seattle pitcher's error would bring Taylor home to record the second run.
Yet, after that strong start the squad battled with some hitting inconsistency, hitting numerous fly balls in strong winds. Also, pitcher Seth Darling (Cle Elum) battled with his command during the outing.
"We thing Seth has one of the better arms and better stuff he just struggles commanding the strike zone," Bourff said. "We've given him a lot of chances due to his talent. He's going to have to work harder in his bullpen sessions and when he has the opportunity he will have to prove he can throw strikes."
"Offensively if we hit the ball up it just pops up in the wind so you have to be on top of the ball," Boruff said. "We have to learn to make those adjustments."
Seattle tied things at 2-2 in their top half of the third but Chris Walker (Naches Valley) homered for the RiverDogs in the bottom half as he hit a line drive over the left field fence for a 3-2 CBRD lead.
"He is a guy who forces us to find a place to play him because he's a gamer and is capable of hitting the ball," Boruff said.
In the top half of the fifth Seattle scored two runs to take their first lead, but once again the RiverDogs answered with their final three runs to earn the win for reliever Luke Valdez (Moses Lake).
Alvarado walked with two out, Snider doubled him home and then Matt Benner (Big Bend CC) doubled the Ephrata stalwart home for a 5-4 CBRD lead.
Jacob Yamane (Warden) then singled in Benner and the Valdez shut the door on the Broncos in the sixth and seventh innings.
"Luke throw strikes and he might become a starter but we don't know if he's a closer or not," Boruff said. "He has a pretty good presence on the mound."
Against Walla Walla, Cody Johns (Naches Valley) through a complete game, eight-hitter but his RiverDogs' offense could only give him two fifth inning runs.
"Cody pitched one of his better games," Boruff said. "He changed his speeds up real well."
Walker and Yamane each went 2-for-3 as the RiverDogs scored their runs on a Conor Hamilton (Othello) single which was followed by a Ricco Moreno (Big Bend CC/Moses Lake) fielders choice.
"Jacob is hitting the ball really well for us," Boruff said. "He has worked a lot with Gabe (Boruff). He's seeing much better pitching than in high school and is learning to hit the ball back up the middle. He is forcing us to find a place for him to play."
Davis Engel (Skagit Valley CC) ground out and brought Hamilton home. Moses Lake's Matt Noyola then singled home Moreno to wrap the team's scoring as Walla Walla held to a 3-2 lead.
"It's tough to not be performance oriented and to think about the end result. We need to understand that we'd rather be competitive at the end of the year than be good just right now."