River Dogs take first at Washington Baseball Open
By Connor Vanderweyst, Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, Wash. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Over the course of four days at the Washington Baseball Open in
To end the regular season, the River Dogs won three out of their last four tournaments (with one second place finish) and 20 out of their last 21 games.
"This is our last really competitive baseball before the World Series so it's OK to peak right now," head coach
After opening the tournament with an 9-1 win against the Seattle Cannons on Thursday, the River Dogs started the weekend with a pair of games against the Missoula Prospects and the Bremerton Blaze.
Neither team proved much of a challenge for
Boruff admitted that most of the teams at the tournament weren't in the River Dogs' class but still emphasized that his team had to execute to get their wins.
"I tell the kids to play against the game of baseball," he said. "It's not your opponent. I don't care what my opponent is ... You still have to go execute, you still have to have good approaches. When you're on the mound you still have to throw strikes."
Against the Prospects, the River Dogs built an eight-run cushion for starter
After a Missoula RBI single that made the score 8-1, Boyd had to work out of a bases loaded jam, eventually retiring the side without further damage.
The River Dogs added four more runs in the fourth and Boyd was able to go the distance to pick up the win.
"The last inning I yelled out at him (Boyd), 'You don't want me to come out there, trust me,' and he got the next two guys," Boruff said. "He knows what mechanically that he has to do to be better."
It was more of the same during Friday's nightcap against the Blaze.
After allowing a RBI double in the first, starter
"Whether or not how good the competition is throwing a one-hitter ... And the guy who got the hit is going to be a college player so I thought it was the best game he's thrown all year," Boruff said.
Sunday's championship game saw a rematch between the River Dogs and the Bears.
After a quiet inning and a half, Loera began the River Dog threat with a leadoff double in the bottom of the second.
Loera did his best
"The day before our pitcher
Loera certainly did his thing against the Bears on Sunday, going 2 for 3 withe a double and a home run.
In the bottom of the fourth,
The second offering from
"The ball just looked like it was a melon pretty much," Loera said. "In my head I was just like, 'Drive it oppo (opposite) or drive it in the gap somewhere.'I just got the good part of the bat and it just went for me."
Johns allowed a two-run home run in the sixth to give
"We threw our best pitcher," Boruff said. "Who I'm certainly going to ... Is certainly going to go in as number one. He'll open up our opening game in the World Series."
With the regular season wrapped up, the River Dogs will hold a sort of baseball camp for themselves as the Desert Dogs will be joining the senior team at the World Series this year.
Unlike last year, the River Dogs won't have to worry about travelling across the country.
Thunderstorms delayed the team's arrival to last year's World Series in
"I like our chances of finishing in the medal rounds, I do, and we'll see what happens," Boruff said.
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