Bulldog baseball split a pair last week, falling 3-5 to host Cascade Christian on March 26 but, on the strength of Dean Howard’s three-run homer, defeated host Oakridge 4-3 on March 29.
At Cascade Christian, Coach Chris Whitmore said ”a couple of mental errors” cost the Bulldogs two runs in the bottom of the sixth, making the Dawgs’ deficit 2-5. Creswell got one back in the top of the seventh with runners at first and third but were unable to bring them home.
Colton White pitched five innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits, striking out seven and walking two.
Cade Apo pitched one inning, giving up two earned runs on three hits and walking one.
Dylan Miller went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored; Dallton Dewey and Dawson Sharkey were each 1-for-2 and scored.
”Cascade Christian’s pitching staff did a really good job keeping our hitters off-balance, and we were unable to make the adjustments,” Whitmore said. ”It’s something we worked on in practice the next couple of days, and it paid off at Oakridge.”
Oakridge pitcher Charlie Updegrave ”really set us down the first time through the lineup – but we were able to adjust the second time through the order,” Whitmore said.
Down 0-1, Howard powered a three-run homer over the centerfield fence at the top of the third to make it 3-1, Creswell.
A series of Warrior throwing errors brought Howard around from first to score Creswell’s final run in the top of the fifth. ”Oakridge scored another run in the seventh, so if we hadn’t scored that run we would’ve been tied,” Whitmore noted.
Apo pitched five innings, giving up two unearned runs on one hit, striking out six and walking three.
Howard pitched the final two, giving up one earned run – his first in 14 innings this season – one hit, striking out three and walking one.
Howard was 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs to lead the Bulldog offense. Callahan and Dewey were 1-for-3 with a run.
The Bulldogs host La Pine to open league play this week. Losing just one outfielder from last year’s team, the Hawks promise to be formidable opponents. ”La Pine’s probably one of the best teams in the state right now,” Whitmore said.
