The Dalles 9-10s still alive

TD gave up two runs in the top of the first but answered with three in the bottom of the inning.

Kade Wilson singled and Styles DeLeon walked to lead off the first. Both scored on a double by Peyton Beeks, who then came home on a Riley Brock single.

After a scoreless second inning, Crook threatened in the top of the third, loading the bases with two outs. However, TD pitcher William Lee got a ground ball to second base to end the inning.

TD expanded its lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the third as Beeks walked and scored on an infield error.

The fourth inning started with back-to-back defensive gems. After Lee made a diving catch at first base, TD right fielder Nathan Anderson made a diving grab to steal another Crook County base hit.

The third out was much harder to get as two consecutive runners reached and then Crook hit a three-run home run to take a 5-4 advantage. However, Crook’s lead didn’t last long.

Pinch-hitting, Anderson roped a double off the left field fence to start the bottom of the fourth.

“That’s what we talk about. Everybody has a role on this team,” TD manager Ben Donivan said. “Not everybody is going to play the same amount but you have a role and when it’s your time to play, you’ve got to be mentally prepared and get it done.”

Anderson scored on a ground-rule double by Wilson.

DeLeon, who was 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored, then singled to drive in Wilson and give TD a 6-5 lead.

TD batted around and led 9-5 by the end of the fourth inning.

TD’s answer to Crook’s three-run home run didn’t surprise their manager.

“We had great momentum and then their guy ran into one and hit it out,” Donivan said. “That changed our momentum and put us behind but I wasn’t concerned. We had that look in our eye. I knew we were ready to compete. I just knew we were locked in hitting and we would score more runs.”

After holding Crook scoreless in the top of the fifth, TD added four more runs in the bottom but the inning could’ve been even more productive.

Pitch running for Anderson, who was hit by a pitch, Andy Maney was thrown out at home for the first out. Wilson, who singled, was also gunned down trying to steal home. But DeLeon and Braden Schwartz followed with back-to-back singles and were driven in by a Riley Brock base hit. Lee and Nolan Donivan then drove in Beeks and Brock to complete the scoring.

On the mound, Wilson got the final three outs for TD. After hitting the first Crook batter in the head, Wilson got two ground ball outs and a strike out to close the game.

The victory came after Monday morning’s disappointing one-run loss to Bend South that put TD into the loser’s bracket.

“I thought the kids bounced back well,” Donivan said. “They’re young and resilient. We challenged them yesterday to come out and compete and see what you can do today and refuse to lose and they met the challenge and played hard. We had lots of guys play different roles and that’s what it’s going to take to make a run in this thing.”

TD will have all of its pitchers except Lee and Brock available today at 10 a.m. when it takes on Bend North.

Donivan expects another tough ball game with defense being the key.

“They swing it good,” Donivan said of Bend North.

“They’ve got decent pitching and play good defense. We just have to stay hot swinging it. Our pitchers have to be efficient and throw lots of strikes and our defense has to make plays. When our defense makes plays, good things have been happening for this team.”