Columbia Gorge Hustler co-head coach Doug Sawyer said he can learn a lot about a team when they are faced with adversity. Over the past two weeks, the Hustlers re-shuffled their coaching staff, overcame injuries and departures, but managed to put together a streak of four wins in the past five games, capped by a 14-9 triumph over Pendleton Thursday in a one-game American Legion playoff matchup at Bob Williams Field.

Needing to win three of four games this past weekend, the Hustlers nearly swept a pair of league doubleheaders, but still won three games to set up a one-game playoff against Pendleton at 6 p.m. tonight at Bob Williams Field.

Coming off a stretch last week where they lost three of four games, the Columbia Gorge Hustlers were looking for a rebound performance. They got it and then some.

Two years ago, Bailey Ortega was a varsity golfer. After Friday’s six-inning masterpiece against No. 13 Hermiston, the senior pitcher is cementing his name atop the Columbia River Conference all-league list. Ortega tossed six innings of two-hit ball with two strikeouts, as he outdueled Hermiston ace R.J. Robles in The Dalles’ 5-1 victory at Bob Williams Field in The Dalles.

With senior pitcher Bailey Ortega dialed in on the mound, all The Dalles Riverhawk offense needs to do is capitalize on a few scoring opportunities to come out on top. Ortega tossed a complete-game five-hitter with three strikeouts, and the TD offense broke open a 3-2 lead with two runs in the fifth inning and one more in the sixth to defeat 6A West Albany by a 6-3 margin Tuesday at Bob Williams Field in The Dalles.

TD baseball is using team unity to fuel ‘16 playoff surge

TD golfers Snodgrass and Telles finish high in the standings to earn state slots