The Rivers Edge Baseball Club coaching staff contributed to this report.
A team of 14U boys from the Gorge traveled to Arizona to compete in a baseball tournament from March 21-23. The Rivers Edge Baseball Club (REBC) Riptide is comprised of The Dalles boys David Gardipee, Hunter Kelley and Daylee Miller and their teammates Cameron Engel, Parker Langel, Brysen Campbell and Henry Wheeler from Carson, Washington, Kase Sietstra (Hood River), Sam Knott (White Salmon), Ryder Graves (Trout Lake), Creed Weedman (Sherman Co.) and Ethan Maddox (Parkdale). The team finished 2nd Place in the AA Bracket in the West Coast Premier Spring Training Baseball Tournament in Mesa, Arizona. The team is coached by Mike Engel, Adam Kelley and Matt Graves.
The weekend began with one game March 21 against Altadena Baseball Academy from Altadena, California. The boys got a slow start with the bats and the game was tied at 2-2 after the 2nd inning. Bats erupted in the bottom of the 3rd as nine runs scored and REBC took an 11-4 lead. Hunter Kelley led the team with 4 RBIs including one home run. David Gardipee added 3 RBIs. REBC scored three more runs in the fourth inning to end the game under mercy rules and a final score 14-4.
On Saturday the team was fortunate enough to play at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, AZ. This 280-acre complex featured full turf fields with each of the eight regulation fields having stadium lighting for night games. REBC played their first game against WOW Factor NW, from Beaverton, Oregon. Unfortunately, REBC faced skilled batting and had some costly errors, resulting in a 13-3 loss.
The second game on Saturday was the team’s first game this season under the lights. The opponent was Coal Creek Hustle from the Denver, Colorado area. The boys turned it around from their earlier performance, led by exceptional pitching from Kelley pitched who pitched 6 and 2/3 innings, facing 27 batters, striking out seven, walking three, and giving up zero earned runs. Henry Wheeler finished the game for REBC as they went on to a 5-1 win, pushing them into the championship bracket for Sunday play. Maddox, Graves, Engel, Gardipee and Weedman picked up hits contributing to the win.
Sunday at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, the boys had great weather as it was 85 degrees. The early afternoon game turned out to be a battle against Slammers Wolfpack 14U from Colorado. Cam Engel started on the bump for REBC and pitched three innings, surrendering six runs on six hits and four walks while striking out four while facing 21 batters. Ryder Graves from White Salmon followed and cleaned up the 4th as REBC held onto a 7-6 lead. At the end of the 6th the game was tied at 7-7 and game time allotment was up and heading into extra innings to go to the Championship. REBC scored four at the top half of the 7th and gave up four in the bottom of the 7th to force yet another extra inning. At the top of the 8th the boys bats were alive and scored another four runs to take a 15-11 lead into the bottom of the 8th. REBC held the Wolfpack to zero runs, ending the game 15-11 with a ticket to the championship game. Gardipee and Maddox led the team with 3 RBIs apiece.
The Championship game was against the top seeded 7one9 Baseball squad from Denver, Colorado. REBC got to an early lead at the top of the first, scoring one run. 7one9 tied the game at the bottom of the 2nd before the boys regained their lead in the 3rd inning scoring two more runs as Parker Langel scored on a hit from Ryder Graves then Ryder scored on a passed ball at home.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to hold onto the win as REBC allowed two runs in the 6th as 7one9 tied the game. At the end of seven innings it was a 3-3 tie and heading to yet another extra inning game for the day. At the top of the inning, REBC was unable to score and 7one9 was able to score a runner on a wild pitch to end the game 4-3.
Overall the boys have put in a ton of hard work, starting their training back in November. There are several tournaments upcoming for the team between the Portland metro area and Tri-Cities. Their season will run into July.
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