The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON -- The Dayton Bulldogs swept the Pomeroy Pirates last Tuesday afternoon in a nonleague baseball matchup, 13-3, and 16-6, last Tuesday afternoon.

Bulldog Sophomore Lowden Smith took the mound for the Dogs in the opener striking out 11 batters while walking only three and allowing only three hits.

He kicked off the day with striking out his first batter in just three pitches. Second baseman Ian Smay threw out the next batter after scooping up his grounder and Smith finished off the Pirates with another "K" to send the Bulldogs up to the plate.

Bulldog Ian Smay got caught looking as the Pirates struck him out to kickoff the Bulldog lineup. Isaiah Lambert took one for the team, followed by Smith connecting for a single to put two runners on with one out.

It was eighth grader Joe Yenney who stepped up to the plate next for the Bulldogs and he unleashed the first of many beatings of the day on the Pirates. Yenney knocked out his first triple bringing in two of his six RBIs to put the first Bulldog runs on the board.

Christian Warney followed that up with a double to centerfield for another RBI and the Bulldogs had a 3-0 lead after the first inning.

The Pirates answered with a run of their own in the second, which they earned from stolen bases and managed two hits in the third off of Smith that they converted into two more runs with more stolen bases to tie the game up, 3-3.

Smith started off the third inning for the Bulldogs with a triple to left field and then scored after a sacrifice pop fly from Warney to take back the Bulldog lead.

Smith then threw down two more "Ks" in the top of the fourth to quickly send the Bulldogs back to the dugout where the rattling of the bats kept the hits and RBI's coming.

Singles from Smith, Lambert, Cruz Ramirez and multiple walked batters, gave the Bulldogs the base runners they needed for Yenney to knock in two runners with a double.

Loegan Hays collected a double on errors that added two more for the Bulldogs and Smay earned an RBI with a sacrifice grounder.

As the Bulldogs batted through their lineup, Lambert chalked up an RBI and Smith ended the beating with a double RBI to put the Bulldogs up, 12-3.

"It was a great day of hitting," said Bulldog head coach Sal Benavides. "The younger kids did a great job with the bats today."

Smith kept the heat coming from the mound as he struck out three straight batters in the top of the fifth to send the Pirates back to the field to try and stay alive before the ten run rule came into play.

The Bulldogs put a quick two outs on the board with pop ups from Yenney and Warney. But Ramirez put a grounder into play giving Hays the opportunity to out run the throw down to home and give the Bulldogs a 13-3 fifth-inning victory.

Hayden Fullerton took the mound for second game kicking things off with three-up, three-down to put the older Bulldogs into action at the plate.

(Left) Dayton's Isaiah Lambert gets a little dusty sliding into a base last Tuesday during the Bulldogs' game against Pomeroy. (Right) Wyatt Frame hits the big homerun of the game last Tuesday in Dayton.

The Bulldogs definitely came out barking and left their bite on the Pirates with Colton Bickelhaupt and Fullerton each knocking out two singles as the Bulldogs batted through their lineup once more. Garret Turner, Lambert, Guy Spalinger and Smith each connected for singles while Warney belted out a double and Yenney took the spotlight with his second triple of the day.

Turner ended the inning for the Bulldogs, smacking one deep to center, but was caught at home while trying to get the extra base, but not before the Bulldogs racked up a 10-0 lead after the first inning.

The Pirates rallied in the third with some freebees from the mound combined with stolen bases, but the Bulldogs held them off and kept the runs coming.

A bunt from Fullerton combined with a fielding error gave the Dogs two more on the board in the bottom of the fifth. A single from Hays and yet another double from slugger Yenney brought in one more. But it was Wyatt Frame who earned the game ball with his two run homerun deep into centerfield that put the Bulldogs up,16-6, and ended the game with the 10-run mercy rule.

It was the perfect ending to a warm spring day filled with sunflower seeds, rattling bats and cheering Bulldog fans.