Sunday afternoon in a league doubleheader versus Putnam, the Columbia Gorge ‘AAA’ Hustlers needed a sweep to preserve third-place league status and better seeding entering Super Regionals.
The Hustlers pulled off a two-game sweep by scores of 8-2 and 10-5 and now kick off postseason action in a best-of-three playoff against the Eugene Challengers starting at 6 p.m. Friday at North Eugene High School.
That Sunday effort in Milwaukie showed first-year head coach Matt Eby that has his group is ready for the money part of the season.
“They knew they had a backs-against-the-wall kind of thing and we swept them. The intensity has increased,” Eby said. “As we have gotten closer to the playoffs, these guys are focused, especially the Hood River guys. They have been in the playoffs and state competition. You could see their eyes light up a little bit more where they have taken on the mentality of ‘This is where the fun starts. You got to play some ball to compete here.’”
Columbia Gorge finished league play with an 11-5 record and a third-place tie with West Linn. Due to head-to-head play, the Hustlers held the tiebreaker edge.
Staked by the presence of reigning state champions Kam Walker and Patrick Harvey, of Hood River, the Hustlers have a potent roster that can score runs and pitch well when the games are on the line.
“Kam Walker is as solid as they get defensively,” Eby said. “Patrick Harvey, he is the other Hood River kid. He can play all nine positions, I don’t think he can catch, but you can’t shut that kid off. He competes from start-to-finish. Every at-bat, he never breaks competition mode.”
The Dalles High School graduate and current Concordia University baseball player Steven Bartells brings his glove and bat to the lineup, but Eby credits Bartells for bringing another critical element to the dugout.
“He is just our on-the-field leader,” Eby said of Bartells. “He is not a yeller or a screamer, but he is the most consistent kid out there.”
Added to the mix are Colin Noonan, Kellen Mathisen, Payton Eaton, Ross Kohl, Dawson Hoffman, and Goldendale High School transfers, Jaymison Cline and Chris Trunkey.
Dylan DesRochers has slugged four home runs this summer, a career-high mark, and quartet of Colton Walker, Bailey Ortega, Eli Holeman and Boston Bate round out the roster.
“It is just a smart group of kids,” Eby said. “Even with Boston (Bate), Eli (Holeman) and Colton Walker, those guys are pretty baseball savvy. I am just excited to watch them all gel together and compete. They are not competing for spots anymore on the field, they are competing as a team to move on down the playoffs here.”
While the offense and pitching have been strong points through the season, Eby said the defense has led to the team’s turnaround.
“We have cut down on our errors and more consistently, the same guys are always showing up,” the coach said. “It is always tough when you have kids working and doing family things, but consistency in showing up for practices has increased. Definitely our defense is going to help us out.”
In Eugene, Columbia Gorge is facing a huge task of trying to defeat a powerhouse program that has historically done well in the playoffs.
Eby said they are a very competitive team with a roster full of college athletes.
He pointed to 6-foot-6 inch, 235-pound lefty starter David Peterson as one example of the star power the Challengers have.
“They are good at everything. A great fundamental team. They always do well,” Eby said of Eugene. “They have a very competitive league down there with Medford and they are going to compete and they are going to bring it. Our challenge as a team is we don’t always bring our ‘A’ game. We tend to play to the level of our competition, so I am excited because these guys are going to be good and that will bring out the best in our players as well.”
If the Hustlers can win two out of three over the weekend against the Challengers, they advance to the state tournament in Salem, which starts next week on Wednesday, July 29 through August 2.
If CG loses two games, the season is over.
The plan, however, is to start strong and take the first game Friday.
“They are going good. They are finally coming together as a team, bonding and whatnot,” Eby said. “Just getting ready for Super Regionals, they have really stepped it up with their enthusiasm and their intensity. So, they are ready to go down and compete on Friday.”
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