NEWPORT – The Columbia Gorge Hustlers wrapped up baseball action at the Newport Tournament with a 1-3 record and posted double-figure hits in every game and totaled 30 runs, finishing the weekend with a 15-8 loss on Sunday to Lower Columbia Basin.
Head coach Steve Sugg liked the way the offense executed in the four games, but looked to the defense and pitching as key components to the team’s success at the upcoming American Legion Tournament this week in Coos Bay.
“I think if they set their minds to it and do what they need to do, they can have a lot of success,” Sugg said. “If we hit the ball like we did in Newport, play good defense and our pitchers can minimize the mistakes and keep the ball down, we have as good of a chance as anyone. There are a lot of powerhouse schools like both Medford schools, Roseburg, Klamath Falls, Eugene and Salem at state. A lot of them are drawing from more than one school, so we are going to have our work cut out for us.”
On Day 3 of the Newport Tournament on Saturday, the Hustlers rebounded from deficits of 7-4 and 8-5 with four runs in the sixth inning and three in the seventh and used a sterling defensive play in the home half of the seventh frame to stop Madison’s rally.
Hustler reliever Ben Nelson allowed three runs in the seventh, as Madison inched to within 12-11 and had runners at first and third with no outs.
With Madison’s No. 6 hitter at the plate, the Hustlers executed a called play where catcher Conner Baughn threw a ball to second base to catch the base stealer, but Nelson stepped in and caught the ball and ran down the Madison base runner trying to score from third for the first out.
The base stealer from first attempted to advance to third after the out, but Nelson flipped the ball to Josh Johnson at third for the second out.
Now with two outs and the batter facing a 2-2 count, Nelson fired a fastball for a swinging third strike to end the game. “This tournament showed that we have grit and the mental toughness that we haven’t shown through the whole season,” Hustler player Jose Gonzalez said. “It shows that this team cares about each other and that we that we can push each other at state.”
Playing against Team Dungies, with as many as 10 college kids from the Newport area on Thursday, the Hustlers pounded out 10 hits, including two solo home runs traveling a combined 700-feet by Dalles Seufalemua.
Ben Schanno added an RBI single to score Baily Hajicek for the other tally, as the Hustlers outhit Dungies 10-8 in a 14-3 mercy-ruled loss.
Hajicek was 2 for 3, Dominic Smith added two hits, and Schanno, Jose Gonzalez and Conner Baughn posted a hit apiece.
Team Dungies scored all 14 runs in the first inning, but the Hustlers scored a run each in the second, third and fourth innings.
Friday, Gonzalez rifled a game-tying, 350-foot two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Salem-Keizer responded with eight runs, four earned, in the seventh to lock down a 15-7 win in second-day action.
Once again, the Hustlers rapped out double-digit hits, 13, three doubles and a homer, and left seven runners on base.
After Saturday’s close win, the Hustlers finished the weekend with a 15-8 loss to Lower Columbia Basin, a program that selects players from five different high schools from the Longview, Wash. area.
In all, the Hustlers posted 12 hits, with Nelson going 2 for 5 with two runs scored, Dalles Seufalemua and Dominic Smith adding two hits apiece.
Caden Cummings walked twice and scored two runs, Baily Hajicek was 1 for 4 with a run, nearly missing a home run with his double off the fence in the top of the seventh inning and Johnson ended up 1 for 1 with a run and an RBI.
CG pitchers, Seufalemua, Jose Gonzalez and Colton Baughn allowed 15 runs, seven earned, as the defense had eight errors.
The Hustlers have their first game at 9 a.m. Wednesday against Medford in their state opener.
A victory vaults CG to the winner’s bracket for a 3 p.m. game on Thursday.
If they lose, it puts them in an elimination tilt at 9 a.m. or noon on Thursday.
The Hustlers will play at noon or 3 p.m. on Friday or at 6 p.m. on the same day if they keep winning.
Schanno is excited for another roadtrip with his teammates and wants everyone dialed in to shock the state competitors.
“It is really exciting,” Schanno said. “I am looking forward to going out there ready to play our hearts with the older kids that will not be playing legion much longer. I am stoked to see how we do. We are focused on trying to win. We have to cut down on our mental errors and put out a top performance, eat well and do everything that we can do.”
Gonzalez was 10 of 15 for the tournament for a .667 average with seven runs and seven RBIs.
Seufalemua ended up 7 for 15 with seven RBIs, Conner Baughn added a .500 average with three RBIs, and Nelson hit 7 for 15 with a team-leading nine runs.
This is the last shot for Gonzalez to get some hardware on the legion stage.
It is now or never.
“It is exciting and a little bittersweet, I’m not going to lie,” Gonzalez said. “I think this team has what it takes to do well, but we will take one game at a time and play our best and we will go from there.”
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