Moses Lake blanks Blue Lick in Game 3 at Johnson-O'Brien Stadium
Bob Kirkpatrick/The Sun Tribune - The Moses Lake River Dogs Evan McLean nearly catches a Midland, Texas runner napping on a pickoff move to first base in Saturday's opener of the Senior Babe Ruth World Series.
Rodney Harwood/Columbia Basin Herald - Moses Lake shortstop Cody Alvarado reacts after scoring during Monday's 10-0 victory over Blue Lick from Louisville, KY. The River Dogs improved to 2-1 in pool play.
EPHRATA — Who would’ve thought the youngest team with no Senior Babe Ruth World Series experience could be among the leaders of the tournament in Ephrata? No one.
But that’s precisely where the 16U Moses Lake River Dogs find themselves after man-handling Blue Lick from Louisvile, Ky., 10-0 Tuesday evening.
The shutout win is Moses Lake’s second victory in three ball games.
“I’m really proud of these kids,” coach Greco Signorelli said. “They’re playing some pretty good baseball.
Pretty good? More like a damn fine job of competing on the big stage against 17 and 18 year-olds that have been there before.
The core of the team, Signorelli said, have been under his tutelage since they were 9-year-olds. They have performed at big venues, he said, and that just might be the key to their success against upper level competition they are facing in Ephrata.
“We’ve played in some high profile tournaments in California over the years together and last year won the regional Babe Ruth Tournament in Camas and made it to the 15-year-olds Babe Ruth World Series,” Signorelli said. “So the main core of these kids have played on a big stage before in front of some big crowds.”
Moses Lake got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on three consecutive singles by Evan McLean, Cody Alvarado and Seth Alvarado. The River Dogs added four in the top of the third to take a commanding 6-0 lead.
Moses Lake then hung two on the board in the fifth and sixth innings to slam the door on the Ohio Valley Regional Champion, and handed the team its first loss in pool play.
Seth Alvarado wielded the big stick for the River Dogs going 3-for-3 with 2 RBI. Caleb Juarez had a big hand in the teams’ offensive out put as well, with two hits in three at bats and 2 RBI.
“Seth and Caleb came up big for us at the plate — both of those guys are swinging the bat well,” Signorelli said. “This is their first year with me and both are having a great series offensively and defensively.”
Vance Alvarado went the distance on the hill to record the win tossing a 5-hit gem with 7 punch out’s.
“Vance turned in a great performance. He kept the ball down, gave us fly balls and ground balls, which was nice. He had good control all night and didn’t get rattled with runners in scoring position,” Signorelli said. “And to top it off — he was pitching to his brother who was catching him, so that was icing on the cake.”
Moses Lake was back on the diamond Tuesday evening to take on Pacific Northwest Region Champion Vancouver, but the results were not available at press time.
Texas 4
Moses Lake 2
The youthful Moses Lake River Dogs found the going rough their first game Senior Babe Ruth World Series game Saturday, Aug. 5
Moses Lake took to the diamond in a 5 p.m. start against the Southwest Regional Champion and were turned back by the team from Midland, Texas, 4-2.
Midland opened the scoring on a one-out single in the bottom of the first inning by Chase Kemp. The River Dogs knotted the contest 1-1 on a one-out single by Moses Lake’s Emmitt Tatum in the top of the third, and then took a 2-1 lead on a single by Brewster’s Jeff Sommeman who came around to score an unearned run on a throwing error by the Texas catcher.
The lead held up until the bottom of the sixth when Midland hung three on the board, two of which were unearned. The River Dogs threatened in the top of the seventh, but stranded a runner at first to end the ball game.
Tatum, Dominic Signoelli, Daulton Kentner and Sonneman each had a hit in the contest. Moses Lake’s Evan McLean got the start on the bump and gave up 3 runs off 5 hits, walked 3 and committed 3 errors in 5 innings of work.
Brandon Morse got the nod for Midland. He gave up 2 runs off 5 hits, walked 5 five and fanned 10 River Dogs in 6 2/3 innings.
Moses Lake 7
Tucson 4
It was a different outcome for Moses Lake Sunday, Aug. 6 as the River Dogs pulled out a 7-4 come-from-behind win over Pacific Southwest Regional Champion Tucson, Ariz. in a 5 p.m. tilt to even their record at 1-1.
Tucson jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a wild pitch by River Dogs starter Peter Aspoholm from Liberty Bell. The team from Arizona added a run the second and third innings to make it 3-0.
The River Dogs hung two on the board in the bottom of the third to get back in it. Moses Lake loaded the bags with three consecutive singles by Daulton Kentner, Othello’s A.J. Pruneda and Emmitt Tatum. Dominic Signorelli’s one-out double brought Kentner and Pruneda across the dish to close the gap to 3-2.
Moses Lake broke the game open with four runs in the home half of the fourth inning. The team added one in the fifth to take a commanding lead, 7-3.
Tucson got one back in the top of the seventh, but that’s all the Pacific Southwest Regional Champion could muster.
Kentner had the hot stick for Moses Lake, going 2-for-3 with and RBI and a run scored. Signorelli went 1-for-3 and finished with 2 RBI. Pruneda recorded the win, tossing 4 ½ innings, giving up 1 run off 3 hits.