The Bulldogs stayed on top of District 23-5A, running their record to 9-2 with a win over visiting Willowridge. After spotting the Eagles a 3-0 lead, the Bulldogs put together big innings in the second and the fourth to pull away for the win.

JV call-up Cale Winans made his first varsity start for the Bulldogs. The Eagles got to Winans for one run in the first, as he scattered four walks among three fly ball outs to center field. A lead-off walk in the top of the second put an end to Winans’ outing, as Travis Lutze came on in relief. Lutze had some minor struggles of his own before settling in, including giving up a 2-run double to Willowridge C Dominiq Harris, as the Eagles ended there half of the second inning with a 3-0 lead.

The Bulldogs woke up in a big way in the bottom of the second. RF Tony Gigliotti was the first of five straight Bulldogs to reach base, leading off with a single up the middle. A walk to 3B Erik Schweiger and a passed ball put runners at second and third, and both came home on LF Blake Doerr’s line drive to right-center. C Matt Hills followed with a walk, and 2B Luke Mulcahey doubled to right to score Doerr. Both Hills and Mulcahey would then score on an errant pick-off throw to third. DH Ryan Dalton later followed with a two-out walk, and 1B Drew Miller brought Dalton around the bases with a lucky-bounce triple to right. Miller scored the seventh run of the inning on Gigliotti’s mishandled shot to short.

The Bulldogs tacked on a run in the third. Doerr led off with a single and stolen base, and went to third on Hills’ fly ball to right. Mulcahey knocked in Doerr for the second time with a single, and motored to third on an error. The Eagles were able to limit the damage to one run by collecting a double play, as Mulcahey tagged up and was thrown out at the plate on a great throw by the Eagles’ right fielder after catching SS Barrett Barnes’ fly ball.

The Bulldogs then piled it on in the fourth, sending 14 men to the plate. CF Daniel Rockett singled and stole second, followed by a walk to Dalton. Miller’s grounder forced Dalton at second, and the Eagles were looking to make it two quick outs on Gigliotti’s shallow fly to left. Unfortunately for Willowridge, the ball fell in and out of the left fielder’s glove, allowing Rockett to score. Schweiger laced a double to left center to score both Miller and Gigliotti, and Doerr reached on a misplayed ball to third. Hills’ single scored Schweiger, and put an end to Willowridge Starter Martin Henry’s night. Reliever Noah Thomas issued a 4-pitch walk to Mulcahey; determined to throw a strike, he put his first pitch to Barnes over the middle of the plate, which was crushed for a 3-run home run to left. Rockett, Dalton, and Miller then loaded the bases on three straight walks, and PH Eric Hughes brought in the ninth and final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, making the score 17-3.

After cruising through the third and fourth innings, Lutze started to waver in the fifth. A hit batter, a single, and two walks put an end to Lutze’s evening, and Bulldog Reliever Clint VanTilborg came in to finish it off. All of Lutze’s responsible runners ended up scoring on two more walks and an error, but VanTilborg kept the Eagles in check and preserved the 10-run win.

Next up for the Bulldogs – on the road next Tuesday against the Travis Tigers, with first place in District 23-5A on the line. Don’t forget to wear your Hawaiian shirt! Then it’s back home next Friday night against Bush for Teacher Appreciation Night.

Bulldog Offensive Highlights:

· 11 hits for the Bulldogs, 4 for extra bases: a double and a single for 2B Luke Mulcahey; two singles for LF Blake Doerr; HR for SS Barrett Barnes; triple for 1B Drew Miller; double for 3B Erik Schweiger; and a single each for CF Daniel Rockett, DH Ryan Dalton, RF Tony Gigliotti, and C Matt Hills.

· 14 RBIs on the game: 3 for Barnes; 2 each for Gigliotti, Schweiger, Doerr, and Mulcahey; and 1 each for Miller, Hills, and PH Eric Hughes.

· Nine-for-nine: For the first time in 11 district games, every player in the starting line-up had at least one hit and scored at least one run.

· Walk this way: for the fourth straight game, Ryan Dalton has walked 3 times (plus gotten one other free pass when hit by a pitch).

Bulldog Pitching Highlights:

· Cale Winans, 1 inning, 5 BB, 0 hits, 2 runs

· Travis Lutze (2-0, 2-0), 3 innings, 4 K’s, 6 BBs, 2 HPB, 3 hits, 5 runs, 3 earned runs

· Clint VanTilborg, 1 inning, 1 K, 2 BBs, 0 hits, 0 runs

Bulldog Defensive Highlights:

· CF Daniel Rockett took care of every ball in play in the first inning, three fly ball outs.

· 2-5 caught stealing for the second out in the second, C Hills to 3B Schweiger.

· Strike 3 in the dirt, but a 2-3 putout for the first out in the fourth, C Hills to 1B Miller.

Winning Pitcher: Travis Lutze (2-0, 2-0)

Losing Pitcher: Martin Henry

Extra Base Hits, WIL: 2B – Harris

Extra Base Hits, FBA: HR – Barnes; 3B – Miller; 2B – Schweiger, Mulcahey

Score by inning:

Submitted by: Tom Miller