River Dogs win the Apple Valley 17 Youth Tournament
WENATCHEE — Tristan Garland went 4-for-4 with a home run and the Columbia Basin River Dogs turned loose the bats in the championship game to beat Mount Vernon to win the Apple Valley 17 Youth Tournament on Sunday.
Duncan Favor went 3-for-4, Cage Gibson went 3-for-3 and Camron Valdez also had a three-hit performance for the River Dogs (15-5), who scored nine runs in the first three innings to win 11-9.
“We are a very good 17-year-old team. We only have five 18-year-olds on the team. We’re awfully good so we’re going to be good for the next year or two,” said manager Randy Boruff, who gave his 18-year-olds the weekend off. “We hit the ball very well against a very good pitcher from Mount Vernon. It’s just the first 20 games of the year so I’m pleased.”
Columbia Basin broke the game open with a four-run third inning and ended up scoring 11 runs on 18 hits to roll to the championship. Quincy Vasser went the distance on the mound, striking out four and scattering five hits.
“We carry five 18-year-olds, so this was a chance for the younger guys to show what they can do,” Boruff said. “I played this weekend without my starting shortstop, Joe Taylor, starting outfielder Arcenio Martinez or pitchers Abel Gomez or Kaeden Murphy, or we would have been even better.
“We don’t have a lot of power, but we have great team speed and sound six-man pitching staff. We play good defense and we have a chance to make it back to the World Series.”
On Sunday, the River Dogs beat the Kennewick Dusters 13-3 in five innings to advance to the championship game. Favor went the distance giving up three runs on three hits for the win. Zac Berryman went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Dakota Fingar was 3-4.
In Saturday’s action, Columbia Basin breezed through a 22-0 victory over Chelan in four innings. Hunter Rosenberger had four RBIs.
They shutout the Wenatchee Blues 4-0 in the tournament opener on Friday, scoring four runs on seven hits. Gibson had two RBIs and Jordan Rios went the distance on the mound, scattering three hits and stroking out four.
The River Dogs are back on the diamond at 5:30 p.m. Thursday night in Ephrata.