Riverhawks baseball finishes fourth in TVC

THE DALLES — Despite being eliminated from OSAA Class 4A baseball playoff contention on May 11, The Dalles High Riverhawks continued to play with pride and enthusiasm as they had a very competitive performance in the final week of the season.

In a grueling Tri-Valley Conference (TVC) schedule, the No. 16-ranked Riverhawks (4-8 TVC, 14-13 overall) played three games in four days — against teams that qualified for the 2026 state playoffs.

The Riverhawks, guided by fifth-year Coach Pat Clark, had a chance to win all three contests, which included two close losses on the road. The Riverhawks lost, 2-1, to the TVC champion Gladstone High Gladiators (9-3 TVC. 18-8 overall) on May 18, followed by a 9-6 loss to the No. 13-ranked Estacada High Rangers (8-4 TVC, 15-11 overall).

“We had lots of close losses in league games this year,” said Clark, whose squad lost six league games by four runs or less. “This group is right on the doorstep of making some noise the next few seasons. Obviously, missing the postseason is disappointing. as it is our standard. The boys never stopped playing hard though and they are motivated to continue their growth over the summer. We will be back next year and I’m excited to be a part of this group of kids over the next few seasons.”

In the matchup versus Estacada, the Riverhawks fell behind 7-0 in the fourth inning, but a six-run, fifth-inning rally trimmed the margin to 7-6. The Rangers responded by scoring two runs in the sixth for the final margin.

In their senior night May 21 home game, the Riverhawks had an outstanding performance with a 9-1 victory over the No. 8-ranked, playoff-bound Molalla High Indians (8-4 TVC, 17-9 overall) to end the season on a positive note. Seniors Hunter Bustos and Ortega were honored for their contributions to the Riverhawk baseball program in a special pregame ceremony.

“Evan has been an everyday player for us for three seasons, and he has contributed to a lot of our success,” Clark said. “Hunter really found his groove this year, and he was a significant part of our lineup for the second half of the season. His development and maturity as a baseball player was fun to be a part of.”

The Riverhawks built a 2-0 first-inning advantage, then took control of the game by scoring three runs in the fifth and four in the sixth, extending their lead to 9-1. The Riverhawks were led offensively by Hunter Bustos (2-for-2, three RBI), Gunnar Bustos (1-for-3, two RBI) and Thatcher Dray (1-for-3, two RBI). Ortega threw a four-hitter with nine strikeouts and two walks.

The Riverhawks finished the season in fourth place in the five-team league standings. The top three TVC teams — Gladstone, Molalla and Estacada — advanced to the state playoffs. It marks the first time since 2022 that The Dalles didn’t qualify for the playoffs.

“The Tri-Valley will be tough again next year,” said Clark. “But I expect us to be more mature, improved and ready to compete for a league championship once again.”