The Cashmere Bulldogs baseball team split a SCAC doubleheader on Saturday against the visiting Zillah Leopards, dropping the opener 8-1 before bouncing back in dominant fashion with a 14-4 victory in six innings in the nightcap. With the split, both teams remain tied atop the SCAC standings with identical 5-1 conference records.
In game one, Zillah senior righthander Caleb Rutherford showed why he is one of the top arms in the league. The Whitworth commit tossed a one-hit complete game, allowing no earned runs while striking out 10 and walking three. Ethan Bessonette accounted for the Bulldogs’ lone hit.
Cashmere sophomore Mac Carlson turned in a solid outing despite the loss, going 6.1 innings while allowing 10 hits and seven runs, four of them earned. The Bulldogs held a tight 1-0 deficit heading into the fifth inning before the Leopards broke the game open. Zillah capitalized on three Cashmere errors in the inning, plating four runs to take control. The Leopards added one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to seal the win.
The Bulldogs responded emphatically in game two behind a strong all-around performance. Senior lefthander Tom McDevitt earned the win, throwing a six-inning complete game. He allowed five hits and four runs—none earned—while striking out seven and walking two.
Trailing 4-1 after three innings, Cashmere flipped the momentum in the fourth. Senior Rylan Hatmaker delivered the big blow, ripping a bases-loaded triple off the fence in left-center field to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead.
Cashmere added an insurance run in the fifth before erupting for eight runs in the sixth inning to trigger the 10-run rule and secure the 14-4 victory.
McDevitt also led the charge at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with a triple, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Hatmaker had a huge game, going 2-for-2 with a triple, double, five RBIs, and two runs scored. Carlson contributed 2-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base, while Jacoby Tait went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Thomas Bergren added a double and an RBI.
With the split, Cashmere improves to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in SCAC play. The Bulldogs will step out of conference next week, traveling to Cle Elum for a single game on Thursday before returning home to host the Meridian Trojans on Friday.
