The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - The Bulldogs came out as the underdogs in three games this past week, losing to Tekoa-Oakesdale- Rosalia in two games on Saturday and just barely missing a lead against Touchet on Tuesday afternoon.

Dayton succeeded in grabbing three runs in the first inning against Touchet, but the Indians made a slow and steady comeback beginning in the third inning, finally wrapping up the game 7-6.

The Bulldogs defense was led by junior Colton Bickelhaupt on the pitcher's mound until up-and-coming freshman athlete Lowden Smith took over in the third. Junior Joey Schlachter was the catcher.

Single hits were made by Hayden Fullerton and Smith. Junior Garett Turner hit four.

"Garett had a great game for the Bulldogs," said head coach Sal Benavides. "He is having a great season."

The Bulldogs left the bases loaded in the 5th. Turner had a single, two doubles and a triple, including a leadoff double in the bottom of the 7th but the team couldn't get him home. The Indians pitcher struck out the next three batters.

The Bulldogs lost momentum and allowed Touchet to overtake them in the 6th. Errors were a problems for the Dayton boys, too. Three errors, including two walks and one hit batsman, accounted for six of Touchet's seven runs.

Dayton's match up in double header games at home against Tekoa-Oakesdale- Rosalia on Saturday were nothing short of heart breaking. The Spartans took the lead in both games, scoring 16-7 in game one and 13-3 in game two.

TOR started strong in game one, and though the Bulldogs fought hard, by the 4th they were already behind 13-7. A highlight of the game for Dayton was Fullerton's three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning.

Other hits were made by Smith, sophomore Riley Stevens, freshman Logan Hays, combined with two hits each from Bickelhaupt, Turner, Schlachter, and Fullerton.

In game two, Dayton got a jump on TOR, scoring three runs to the Spartans' zero in the first three innings, but the Spartans caught fire in the last half of the game, quickly racking up 13 points in the last three innings and taking the victory.

Dayton hits were made by Bickelhaupt, Turner, Fullerton, and Smith (with two).

The losses drop Dayton to 2-4 in league and 4-8 overall.

Baseball

Dayton v Touchet (April 26)

Touchet 0, 0, 2, 1, 1, 3, 0 R: 7, H: 3, E: 3

Dayton 3, 0, 2, 0, 1, 0, 0 R: 6, H: 6, E: 5

Hits: Hayden Fullerton 1, Lowden Smith 1, Garett

Turner 4

Dayton v TOR (April 23)

Game One:

TOR 2, 7, 2, 2, 0, 0, 3 R: 16, H: 13, E: 1

Bulldog Shelby Smith cracks the bat during Dayton's second and winning game against TOR. The first game was the team's first league loss in the split doubleheader.

Dayton 0, 2, 5, 0, 0, 1, 0 R: 7, H: 11, E: 2

HR: Hayden Fullerton

Hits: Lowden Smith 1, Riley Stevens 1, Logan Hays 1,

Colton Bickelhaupt 2, Kayla Turner 2, Joey Schlachter 2,

Hayden Fullerton 2.

Game Two:

TOR 0, 0, 0, 5, 6, 2 R: 13, H: 15, E: 0

Dayton 2, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0 R: 3, H: 5, E: 3

Hits: Colton Bickelhaupt 1, Garett Turner 1, Hayden

Fullerton 1, Lowden Smith 2.