The Cashmere Bulldogs baseball team earned a statement sweep on Tuesday afternoon, taking both ends of an SCAC doubleheader from Naches Valley and snapping a 10-game losing streak against the Rangers.
Facing the defending SCAC regular season champions on the road, Cashmere showed grit in the opener and dominance in the nightcap, winning 7-4 in nine innings in game one and 11-0 in five innings in game two.
With the two wins, the Bulldogs improve to 11-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play, and still tied for first place in the SCAC standings with Zillah.
Game 1: Cashmere 7, Naches Valley 4 (9 innings)
The opener was a tightly contested battle that required extra innings to decide. Cashmere out-hit Naches Valley 14-6 but had to overcome four defensive errors that allowed the Rangers to stay within striking distance.
Sophomore Mac Carlson got the start on the mound and pitched six innings, allowing four runs (none earned) on four hits. He struck out six and walked three.
Sophomore Ethan Bessonette was outstanding in relief, earning the win after tossing three scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, struck out two, and walked three.
At the plate, junior Jacoby Yousey led the Bulldogs, going 4-for-6 with a home run and two RBI. Carlson helped his own cause by going 3-for-6 with two doubles and an RBI, while senior Jake Peterson finished 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI.
With the game tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth inning, senior Levi Strutzel led off by reaching base on an error and then stole second. Bessonette followed with an RBI single to give Cashmere a 5-4 lead. Senior Tom McDevitt then delivered a triple to drive in Bessonette, and Peterson brought home McDevitt on a fielder’s choice to extend the lead to 7-4.
Bessonette closed out the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
Game 2: Cashmere 11, Naches Valley 0 (5 innings)
The Bulldogs carried that momentum into game two and dominated from the start, cruising to an 11-0 win in five innings. Cashmere out-hit the Rangers 11-2 in the nightcap.
McDevitt earned the win on the mound, tossing four scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. He struck out four and walked two. Bessonette added a scoreless inning of relief, giving up one hit.
Offensively, the Bulldogs were led by Carlson, who went 3-for-3 with a double and five RBI. McDevitt was also perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a double, and scoring four runs.
Senior Thomas Bergren finished 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Strutzel went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Jacoby Tait was 1-for-2 with a run scored, Rylan Hatmaker went 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Yousey added a 1-for-4 performance with a double and an RBI.
Next Up:
Cashmere returns to action on Friday in a non-league contest against the Eastmont Wildcats. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. at Paul Thomas Field on the campus of Wenatchee Valley College.
