The Hounds led the entire game but could not contain the Dodgers in the final inning, allowing 5 runs in a 6-3 loss at Simeon high school Friday night.
Starting pitcher Mike DiCola (#28) lobbed another gem, holding the former Pirates to 1 run over 5 innings of work. The Doggos defense was stellar, committing no errors. The defensive highlight of the game came on a ranging, flat-out dive by Brandon Jessee (#3, CF) to steal an extra base hit. Tim Riggenbach (#8, LF) also channelled his inner Alfonso Soriano nabbing a catch in left, and in the seventh made a hopping nab of a high turf bouncer saving a few extra runner advancements. Arron Kruse (#11, 3B) made a great lay out to grab a grounder, but could not come up with the out.
Runs on the day came from a 2-RBI double by Riggenbach, who smacked an opposite field line drive to drive in Matt Burch (#6, 1B) and Nick Schmidt (#23, EH), and a clutch bases loaded walk by Hans Hetrick (#18, EH/P).
Relief pitcher Cole Thompson (#86) kept the Dodgers quiet in their half of the sixth, inducing three groundouts and no runs. A few free base trips and one unfortunately placed pitch came back to haunt the Hounds rookie in the final frame, when a bases-clearing double pulled the Dodgers ahead. Nick Schmidt came in to close the game, nearly taking a line drive beneath the belt, but one cannot simply hit Gumby with a baseball. The hurler was able to quickly react and glove the ball for the final out. In the bottom of the seventh, barring a Brandon Jessee line-single, the Hounds went quietly into the night to finish the game.
The Hounds filled the visitor bleachers with fans, featuring the debut of Taylor Fukushima and 2021 debut of Tara Lundgren as well as the usual cast of Big T and Linda Correa, Melanie Harmon, and Laura Grieger. After the tough loss, teammates and fans met at Cork and Kerry, where they drowned their sorrows in many “buckets”. The Hounds look to rinse the bad taste out of their mouth tomorrow afternoon when they meet the Garcias and their baseball team at Maywood.