Dogs Win, Lose To Colton At Home

DAYTON -- The Dayton Bulldogs boys baseball team split Saturday, falling in the first game of the doubleheader at Dayton against the Colton Wildcats, 14-6, and winning the second, also against the Wildcats, 11-12.

This brought the Bulldogs' record to 5-1 all, and 2-0, in division games.

The team got off to a challenging start when senior Colton Bickelhaupt injured his back sliding into home during the second inning of the first game. Bickelhaupt dislocated his shoulder during a state basketball game, said head coach Sal Benavides. The recently recovered athlete was unable to keep playing on Saturday and sat out the remainder of the first game and all of the second.

Despite the injury, the Bulldogs were able to secure a 5- 0 lead until the top of the fourth inning when the Wildcats were able to score on a dropped third strike, bringing the score to 5- 1. Pitcher Lowden Smith answered for the Bulldogs striking out the next batter by keeping him swinging.

Smith started off the bottom of the fourth inning with a fly double, but was picked off on second before he had a chance to score.

Unable to bring in any runs, the Bulldogs went into the field again for the top of the fifth inning. The Wildcats brought in two more runs, but were stopped by a strikeout from Smith, bringing the Wildcats back out of the dugout and the score to 3- 5.

The Bulldogs' final run of the game was brought in after the Wildcats' pitcher walked four batters in a row, bringing the score to 3 - 6.

The Wildcats wasted no time at the top of the sixth bringing one runner on base around to score off of a hit to shallow right field. Two more runs came in off of a dropped throw to first tying the score at 6- 6 before the third out was caught.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bulldogs were able to get runners onto the bases. Eighth grader Joe Yenney brought a runner to third with his single, but no runs were brought in.

The Wildcats pulled ahead in the top of the seventh bringing in eight runs before the final out, a pop fly, was caught. The game ended in the bottom of the seventh inning with three Bulldog batters and three outs with a final score of 14- 6, Wildcats.

"You just try your best and that's all I ask of the kids," Benavides said about the loss. "Don't go walking off the field asking yourself 'what if.'"

The teams took a brief break before starting up their second game.

The Bulldogs regained their bearings and were able to bring in 12 runs in the second game while the Wildcats were only able to bring in 11.

The Wildcats scored seven runs in the sixth inning before sophomore Logan Hays took the mound and ended the streak.

"The most important thing was that Logan, who hasn't pitched all year, came in and shut them down," Benavides said.

The final score of the game was, 11-12, Bulldogs ending the sunny Saturday on a win.

"We ran ourselves into two or three situations not knowing how many outs there were," Benavides said.

Benavides said he reminded the team to not get down on themselves about the loss.

"[Colton] has a solid baseball program," he said. "Anytime they beat us we don't feel too bad about it."

While Bickelhaupt's injury was a major setback for the games, Benavides said what matters is that the team gives their best effort.

The Bulldogs' next game is at 4 p. m. on Tuesday against Touchet.