The Hattenhauer Distributing Columbia Gorge Hustlers extended their win streak to 15 after sweeping an American Legion baseball doubleheader, 10-8 and 22-3, over Mountainside on July 5 at Quinton Street Ballpark in The Dalles.
The Hustlers 16U squad followed by winning 12-1 over Centennial July 6 at Gresham High School.
In the first contest, the Hustlers (11-0 league, 27-2 overall) built a 9-2 fifth-inning advantage, but then saw most of that lead slip away, as Mountainside (11-2 league) trimmed the margin to 9-8 in the top of the sixth. The Hustlers added a run in the bottom half of the frame for the final two-run margin.
The pitching trio of Riley Brock, Will Booth and Braden Schwartz combined for 12 strikeouts and allowed five hits. Schwartz (2-for-4, two RBI), Nathan Hedges (1-for-4, two RBI) and Carson Smith 1-for-4, two RBI) led the Hustler’s 15-hit offense.
The Hustlers were dominating in the five-inning second game. The pitching duo of Isaac Anthony and Hunter Hough combined for 11 strikeouts, while allowing four hits. Anthony, the OSAA Class 1A/2A baseball player-of-the-year from Dufur, led the 15-hit Hustler offense; he was 3-for-4, with a home run, double and four RBI.
Other key contributors included Cooper Klindt (1-for-3, three RBI), Avery Schwartz (1-for-2, two RBI) and Cameron Groves (1-for-1, two RBI).
The Hustlers play eight games in six days starting with Wednesday’s 5 p.m. doubleheader at home against Alpenrose. The Hustlers, guided by Coach Pat Clark, play a 5 p.m. home doubleheader versus Hillsboro Thursday, followed by a 6 p.m. contest on the road Friday at Aloha High School. They’ll return home for a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Silverton, followed by a 6 p.m. contest at Hood River Valley High School on July 18.
“We’ve had a lot of success, that’s for sure and it’s been a heck of a fun summer,” said Clark. “We had five days off, so the break came at a good time, because we had some pitchers who had some sore arms. So, we should come out of this break fully healthy and ready to go. It’s good timing, because we’ll have just enough games left to kind of get us tuned up for the state tournament. We’ll go into that ready to rock.”
The Hustlers will play in the American Legion state playoffs July 20-24 at North Marion High School in Aurora.
“I couldn’t be happier with how the season has been going,” said Clark. “For this group, especially The Dalles High kids, they didn’t have the greatest year during the baseball season in the spring. They needed to feel what it was like to win. Part of learning how to win is by winning more games. So, for them specifically, they’ve been able to regain their confidence and we’ve beaten some pretty good teams too throughout the summer season.”
The Hustlers have 23 players on their roster and 14 attend The Dalles High School. The other nine players are from Dufur, Goldendale, Sherman County, and Hood River. The Dalles High Riverhawks had a 4-20 record during the Class 5A season that concluded in May.
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