Hustlers working their way back to title level

“I was very impressed by what these young guys did this year,” Hustler head coach Steve Sugg said. “When you play 40 or 50 games in the summer, it gives them experience and extra reps to improve on all levels of their play. Our goal is for them to take that next step. We are more concerned with that than wins and losses.”

Spanning 34 games, the Hustlers scored 160 runs and had a .274 team average with 47 extra base hits, 117 walks, 29 stolen bases and 183 strikeouts in 973 plate appearances.

From The Dalles, Dalles Seufalemua tallied two home runs, drove in 12 and scored 11 runs in 16 games played, and he led the team with a .500 batting average and .875 slugging percentage.

Michael Armstrong walked 13 times, drove in 13 runs and scored 11 times, and finished with a .354 average and a .462 slugging percentage.

Dominic Smith posted a .289 average with 12 runs and 11 RBIs, and Ben Nelson added a .262 average with 12 runs, eight RBIs, eight stolen bases and a .368 on-base percentage.

Austin Greene scored 16 runs, walked eight times and drove in seven runs, Jaxon Pullen walked 11 times, scored 15 runs, stole five bases and tied with the team lead with Nelson with four sacrifice bunts, and Ben Schanno scored 13 runs and had 10 RBIs in 32 games played.

“We could’ve had a better record and better stats and stuff, but we showed that we can compete,” Seufalemua said. “We had different guys step up and make some plays. I think next year when we bring back most of the guys, we should be much better, and we will want to go to prove that we are better than what we showed this year.”

Andrew Carlock, a graduated senior out of Lyle, Wash., had a .315 average with 11 walks, 16 runs, 10 RBIs and a home run in his final legion campaign.

The Hustlers also had three Dufur freshmen. Isaac Anthony, Gabe Petroff and Carson Smith put up solid numbers.

Anthony finished with a team-leading 17 RBIs, eight runs scored and a .250 batting average, while Petroff scored 13 runs, drove in four and had a .229 average in 25 games.

Carson Smith batted .244 with 13 walks, four stolen bases, 13 runs and six RBIs in 23 games played.

South Wasco County freshman Brock Lafaver hit .250 with 11 RBIs, and Sherman’s Wade Fields had a .262 average with 11 runs and 13 RBIs.

 “Us young players were not sure what would happen this summer with all of us playing with new guys from different areas, but I think we did a good job,” Smith said. “We contributed offensively and defensively and helped this team as much as we could. It was exciting to be a part of this team and I felt like we all got along great. I can honestly say that all of us got closer, like brothers, and when you have that chemistry, I think it will help us next year and the year after.”

On the mound, the Hustler pitchers walked 217 batters, struck out 170, and allowed 299 runs, 209 earned, across 206 innings.

Anthony and Nelson led the team with two wins apiece, and both Lafaver and Trenton Schacher notched a save each.

Anthony fanned 29 in 31 2/3 innings, Armstrong struck out 20 in 27 2/3, Nelson pitched 17 innings and struck out 20, and the duo of Fields and Dominic Smith combined for 18 strikeouts each in 35 2/3 innings.

On the field, the Hustlers committed 74 errors and posted a .923 fielding average, led by Schacher (1.000), Petroff (.987, one error), Lafaver (.980, two errors), Seufalemua (.949, three errors), Armstrong (.925, four errors), Pullen (.923, five errors) and Carson Smith (.910, seven errors).

“We are still looking to develop our pitchers. We don’t have that one shut-down guy yet that we can rely on to pitch in the big games,” Sugg said. “With those Dufur kids, Brock and Wade and a couple of my guys, the potential is there to get more out of them. We will keep working with them and hope they can be that horse we can ride in big games.”

Of the 14 players on the roster, Sugg and his coaching staff of Dean Dollarhide, Chad Smith, Jeff Justesen and Ed Ortega will lose Greene and Carlock.

Looking ahead, Greene believes the best is still to come from this bunch.

“I am going to miss being around everyone. We had a lot of fun times and spent a lot of time together on our road trips, and those are the things I will remember most from this summer,” Greene said. “It is sad that I won’t be around next year, but even though I won’t be on the team, I will still cheer them on. The players and the coaches made a difference in my life and I appreciate them for welcoming me in.”

With between 18 and 20 incoming freshmen from The Dalles and a handful of others from surrounding areas, Sugg wants to reload the program with two teams and continue the developmental process.

“We want to give everyone a chance to play summer ball. We want kids to keep coming out,” Sugg said. “We are building something here with baseball and as long as they work on the mental part and the physical part, they should be a fun team to watch down the line.”