The 2026 season for the Cashmere Bulldogs came to a heartbreaking end Saturday at Rec Park in Wenatchee as the Bulldogs split two games in the 1A State Baseball Tournament, defeating Castle Rock before falling in extra innings to Overlake-Bear Creek in the state quarterfinals.

Ranked No. 2 in the state entering the tournament, Cashmere opened the day with a dominant 12-1 victory over Castle Rock in a mercy-rule shortened contest before suffering a crushing 12-10 loss in eight innings to the No. 10 ranked Overlake-Bear Creek Growls.

Cashmere finished the season with an outstanding 24-2 overall record, earning SCAC co-champion honors, capturing the District 5 Championship, and advancing to the 1A state quarterfinals for the second straight season.

Bulldogs Roll Past Castle Rock

The Bulldogs wasted little time asserting themselves in the opening round matchup against Castle Rock, scoring three runs in the first inning and four more in the second to take complete control early.

Cashmere added one run in the third inning, two in the fourth, and ended the game in the fifth inning thanks to a towering two-run home run by junior Jacoby Yousey that cleared the right field fence and enforced the 10-run mercy rule.

Senior Tom McDevitt delivered a strong outing on the mound to earn the victory. McDevitt pitched 4.1 innings, allowing just three hits and one unearned run while striking out seven and walking three. Sophomore Ethan Bessonette closed out the game by striking out both batters he faced in relief.

The Bulldogs offense was led by senior Jake Peterson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and scored three runs. Senior Thomas Bergren finished 2-for-3 with a double and four RBI, while Yousey’s fifth-inning blast punctuated the victory.

Cashmere also received contributions from senior Rylan Hatmaker, who went 1-for-3 with a run scored, and sophomore Mac Carlson added a base hit and drove in two runs.

Bulldogs Rally Falls Short in State Quarterfinal Thriller

Just 45 minutes after their opening-round victory, the Bulldogs returned to the field to face Overlake-Bear Creek after the Growls upset No. 7 seed Zillah 6-5 earlier in the day.

The Growls came out swinging early, scoring four runs in the first inning and three more in the second to grab a commanding 7-0 lead. Overlake collected six hits in the first two innings while taking advantage of three Cashmere errors, two hit batters, and a walk.

The early barrage chased Bulldogs starting pitcher Mac Carlson after two innings of work.

Despite the rough start, Cashmere refused to quit.

The Bulldogs got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the second inning before erupting for four more runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 7-6. Overlake answered with a run in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 8-6.

Cashmere’s comeback continued in the bottom of the sixth inning. McDevitt opened the frame with a single before Peterson reached base on a dropped third strike. After a fly out by Carlson, Yousey delivered a clutch two-run hit that tied the game at 8-8.

The Bulldogs kept the pressure on when sophomore Jacoby Tait singled and junior Jackson Mitchell came through with a clutch two-out RBI single to score Yousey and give Cashmere its first lead of the game at 9-8.

Bessonette, who provided a strong relief appearance, recorded the first two outs in the seventh inning before Overlake rallied with four consecutive hits to reclaim a 10-9 advantage.

Yousey then made his first pitching appearance of the season and recorded the final out of the inning to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance.

Cashmere answered immediately in the bottom of the seventh. Hatmaker and McDevitt opened the inning with back-to-back singles before Peterson laid down a perfect bunt single to load the bases with nobody out.

Carlson followed with a suicide squeeze bunt that scored Hatmaker and tied the game at 10-10.

After Yousey was intentionally walked to reload the bases with one out, the Bulldogs nearly won the game moments later. Tait first attempted a squeeze bunt that rolled foul down the first-base line before lining a ball to center field that appeared destined to end the game. Instead, the Growls centerfielder made the catch and doubled the runner off second base to end the inning.

The game moved to extra innings tied at 10-10.

In the top of the eighth inning, Overlake loaded the bases with two outs on a single and two walks. Cashmere turned back to Carlson on the mound, but the Growls plated two runs after consecutive hit batters pushed runners home, giving Overlake a 12-10 lead.

The Bulldogs were unable to answer in the bottom half of the inning as their remarkable comeback effort came to an end.

Yousey was charged with the loss after allowing two earned runs and three walks in one inning of work. Bessonette kept the Bulldogs in the game with 4.2 solid innings of relief, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out one and walking two.

Carlson battled through command issues in his 2.1 innings on the mound, allowing seven runs — only one earned — on six hits while striking out one, walking one, and hitting four batters.

The Bulldogs pounded out 16 hits in the loss and actually out-hit the Growls 16-15. McDevitt and Peterson led the offense with three hits apiece, while Tait, Thomas Bergren, Mitchell, and Hatmaker all collected multiple hits. Mitchell, Peterson, and Bergren each doubled in the contest. Mitchell drove in three runs, Hatmaker added two RBI, and Yousey contributed a base hit and two RBI.

Senior Class Leaves Lasting Legacy

The quarterfinal loss marked the final game for a talented senior class that helped lead the Cashmere Bulldogs through an impressive four-year stretch for the CHS baseball program. During their careers, the Bulldogs qualified for the state tournament in all four seasons, captured four District Championships, and won three conference titles.

The senior class of Tom McDevitt, Rylan Hatmaker, Jake Peterson, Thomas Bergren, Levi Strutzel, and Jack Brown helped guide Cashmere to another outstanding season in 2026 as the Bulldogs finished 24-2 overall, earned SCAC co-champion honors, claimed the District 5 Championship, and advanced to the 1A state quarterfinals for the second straight year.

Their leadership, consistency, and success helped build on a lasting legacy for Cashmere baseball and continued to build on the rich tradition for future Bulldog teams to follow.