Ephrata's Justin DeHoog makes River Dogs history with fourth World Series appearance

Typically, there are two kinds of leaders in athletics: the orator that can give an impassioned speech or those who lead by example, letting their play speak volumes.

Justin DeHoog fits into the latter.

So when a hooligan sped around the Johnson-O’Brien Stadium parking lot during Columbia Basin’s practice Monday night DeHoog took action.

“Justin got in his truck, ran the guy down and made him come back and rake it (the gravel) up,” head coach Randy Boruff said.

The proper response when confronted by a burly catcher and former middle linebacker.

Come Saturday, DeHoog will make River Dogs history as the first player to appear in four Babe Ruth World Series. There have been plenty of players to make it to three — this year’s Columbia Basin team includes a few — but the Ephrata native is the first to play in four straight.

“It means a lot to me personally,” DeHoog said. “I feel very accomplished since nobody’s ever done it. It’s nice to have been on good teams all four years and I think we’re pretty strong this year so we’ve got a very good shot.”

DeHoog was an extra bat on the River Dogs squad that traveled to Covington County, Alabama in 2013. Having just wrapped up his sophomore year in high school, DeHoog had understandable nerves and an unscheduled landing in Texas on the way to the tournament due to bad weather didn’t do much to ease them.

“The first series four years ago I was honestly very nervous, really young,” he said. “But throughout the years I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable going into each World Series. Feel really confident going into this year.”

A 2015 World Series Championship certainly helped DeHoog’s comfort level. The River Dogs held off two-time defending champs the Alabama Rawdogs 3-0 in Klamath Falls, Ore. last summer in the title game, with DeHoog starting behind the plate.

“He was a guy who was a pretty good hitter and he’s always been a pretty good baseball player and so he was good enough to be part of that team (2013) and then of course he was a major part of our team — he was our catcher last year when we won the World Series,” Boruff said. “He’s a leader. Physically a strong kid and he’s a leader.”

Pitcher Hunter Boyd — a Moses Lake High School graduate making his third World Series appearance — has grown to become good friends with DeHoog.

“I’m happy for him (DeHoog),” said Boyd, who won an NWAC Championship this season with Yakima Valley. “His fourth year, my third year. Been best buds ever since we started so we’re looking to have a great last year and see where it goes.”

Despite appearing in four World Series, DeHoog has only left the Pacific Northwest once and his own hometown twice. Ephrata hosted the 2014 series and will host again, starting this Saturday.

“It feels really comfortable since I played here four years at the high school and then playing under coach (Dave) Johnson is nice because I never got to in high school — the legend he was,” DeHoog said. “It’s nice to be able to (be coached by Johnson) now playing for the River Dogs.”

First pitch nears

Columbia Basin opens pool play Saturday at 8 p.m. The Pacific Northwest Regional Champion 13- 15-year-old River Dogs will throw out the first pitch. The younger River Dogs squad will be fundraising to prep for its World Series trip to Williston, North Dakota Aug. 13.

As the host club, the River Dogs were able to bypass the state and regional tournament on their way to the World Series. That extra time has been used for intensive practice sessions the last two weeks.

The coaches will see if their tactic paid off on Saturday.

“This has been a wonderful week of practice the last two weeks,” Boruff said. “We’ve run it more like a military camp, trying to make them mentally and physically a little tougher. Sometimes in the summer you just throw the ball out and you just go play and if you continue to do the same thing over and over again Einstein said that that’s the definition of insanity.”

Players might begin to bounce off padded walls if the games don’t start soon.