By Mike Weber
For Columbia Gorge News
THE DALLES — After winning four straight OSAA Class 4A baseball non-league games, The Dalles High Riverhawks were seeking to extend their win streak to five in an April 7 road match-up versus the tough Pendleton High Buckaroos. However, the No. 15-ranked Riverhawks (8-4) were unable to get much going offensively in a 14-0 loss to the No. 10-ranked Buckaroos (7-6), snapping the Riverhawks win streak.
The Riverhawks, guided by fifth-year Coach Pat Clark, bounced back at home and regained their confidence by sweeping an April 10 non-league doubleheader, 11-1 and 9-0, over the Class 2A Knappa High Loggers (2-6).
“The sweep over Knappa came at a good time, which is what we needed after the rough game against Pendleton,” said Clark. “Knappa has a really young team, but they’re usually a perennial Class 2A contender.”
The Riverhawks dominated the first matchup by capitalizing on four Logger errors and pounding out 10 hits. Senior Evan Ortega (3-for-4, two RBI), junior Sawyer Dray (two RBI), sophomore Chase Peterson (1-for-3, two RBI) and sophomore Gunnar Bustos (3-for-3) made key contributions to the Riverhawk offense.
An eight-run first inning set the tone for the game — and series. The Riverhawks played error-free defense as pitchers Bustos, freshman Thatcher Dray and sophomore Sawyer Case combined for a three-hit, with six strikeout performance with one walk.
In game two, the Riverhawks led 2-0 after four innings and took control with a three-run fifth.
“The second game was close for a while, and it was actually kind of a challenge for us a little bit,” said Clark. “Our pitchers threw well and we did what we were supposed to do.”
The Riverhawks had nine hits and they were led offensively by Ortega (1-for-3, RBI), Daylee Miller (2-for-4, two RBI), Bustos (RBI) and Sawyer Dray (2-for-3, RBI). The trio of pitchers in Ortega, Bustos and Peterson combined for one hit, 11 strikeouts and two walks on the day.
The Riverhawks are scheduled to play at North Marion (2-6) on April 14 and April 18 in a noon doubleheader at Mazama High (5-6) in Klamath Falls.
“We have one week left prior to starting our league schedule,” said Clark. “Klamath Falls is a long way to go for a non-league game, though. We’ll stop in Bend Friday and just do something fun there together to make it a team-building type of thing. It’s going to be a good experience for the guys to go somewhere that we’ve never been to and facing a team that we’ve never played before.”
The Riverhawks will begin their 12-game Tri-Valley Conference schedule April 23 against the Madras High White Buffaloes (4-4) at Quinton Street Ballpark.
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