River Dogs take first at Washington Baseball Open

EPHRATA - In their last batch of competitive baseball games before the Senior Babe Ruth World Series the River Dogs looked ready to take on the nation's best.

Over the course of four days at the Washington Baseball Open in Ephrata, Columbia Basin finished 6-0 and outscored its opponents 56-8.

To end the regular season, the River Dogs won three out of their last four tournaments (with one second place finish) and 20 out of their last 21 games.

"This is our last really competitive baseball before the World Series so it's OK to peak right now," head coach Randy Boruff said.

After opening the tournament with an 9-1 win against the Seattle Cannons on Thursday, the River Dogs started the weekend with a pair of games against the Missoula Prospects and the Bremerton Blaze.

Neither team proved much of a challenge for Columbia Basin as both squads fell 14-1 in five innings.

Boruff admitted that most of the teams at the tournament weren't in the River Dogs' class but still emphasized that his team had to execute to get their wins.

"I tell the kids to play against the game of baseball," he said. "It's not your opponent. I don't care what my opponent is ... You still have to go execute, you still have to have good approaches. When you're on the mound you still have to throw strikes."

Against the Prospects, the River Dogs built an eight-run cushion for starter Hunter Boyd. Boyd put together a solid two innings before the Prospects threatened in the third.

After a Missoula RBI single that made the score 8-1, Boyd had to work out of a bases loaded jam, eventually retiring the side without further damage.

Colton Kelly increased the Columbia Basin lead to 10-1 after blasting a two-run double in the bottom of the third.

The River Dogs added four more runs in the fourth and Boyd was able to go the distance to pick up the win.

"The last inning I yelled out at him (Boyd), 'You don't want me to come out there, trust me,' and he got the next two guys," Boruff said. "He knows what mechanically that he has to do to be better."

It was more of the same during Friday's nightcap against the Blaze.

Columbia Basin led 5-1 after one inning and cruised to its second straight blowout of the day.

After allowing a RBI double in the first, starter Parker Stohr didn't allow another Blaze hit.

"Whether or not how good the competition is throwing a one-hitter ... And the guy who got the hit is going to be a college player so I thought it was the best game he's thrown all year," Boruff said.

Drew Loera finished with four RBIs against Bremerton, including a two-run home run.

Columbia Basin continued its romp through the tournament Saturday, beating the Walla Walla Bears 8-0 before squeaking by the Brewers 3-2.

Sunday's championship game saw a rematch between the River Dogs and the Bears.

After a quiet inning and a half, Loera began the River Dog threat with a leadoff double in the bottom of the second.

Loera did his best Fernando Rodney impression after sliding into second base safely, shooting an arrow at the River Dogs' dugout.

"The day before our pitcher Koleman Johns, who pitched today, a good game, he was like, 'Well, everybody should just do their own thing when they hit something,'" he said.

Loera certainly did his thing against the Bears on Sunday, going 2 for 3 withe a double and a home run.

Chandler Gribble scored Loera on a double to give Columbia Basin a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Columbia Basin led Walla Walla 2-1 when Loera stepped in for his second at bat.

The second offering from Walla Walla's starter was crushed over the left field fence, stretching the River Dog lead to 3-1.

"The ball just looked like it was a melon pretty much," Loera said. "In my head I was just like, 'Drive it oppo (opposite) or drive it in the gap somewhere.'I just got the good part of the bat and it just went for me."

Johns allowed a two-run home run in the sixth to give Walla Walla some life, still trailing 4-3. However, a four-run burst by the River Dogs in the bottom of the frame put the game out of reach.

Matt Sutherland came up with a clutch single with the bases loaded to give Johns the insurance he needed. Miscues by the Bears allowed Columbia Basin to tack on two more runs in the sixth and Johns shut the door in the seventh to clinch the championship.

"We threw our best pitcher," Boruff said. "Who I'm certainly going to ... Is certainly going to go in as number one. He'll open up our opening game in the World Series."

With the regular season wrapped up, the River Dogs will hold a sort of baseball camp for themselves as the Desert Dogs will be joining the senior team at the World Series this year.

Unlike last year, the River Dogs won't have to worry about travelling across the country.

Thunderstorms delayed the team's arrival to last year's World Series in Alabama, culminating with a 1-3 record in pool play and an early exit. With a rotation that can go six-deep, the 2014 team appears more equipped to advance out of pool play.

"I like our chances of finishing in the medal rounds, I do, and we'll see what happens," Boruff said.