The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - Saturday The Dayton Waitsburg baseball team hosted Kittitas in a double header in Waitsburg. Jacob Dunn started the pace of the first game by striking out the first batter and no runs were allowed in the first inning. In the bottom of the first, DW took the lead when the first six batters reached base and scored. DW went through the batting order in the first with Helm leading off and being the last hitter of the inning.

In the second inning, the wheels wobbled a bit for DW when J Hudson hit a single off Dunn to reach base. Dunn then struck out the next two batters, but Kittitas in a flurry of singles scored four runs to bring the game closer. DW answered with two runs of their own.

The third inning was scoreless for Kittitas with Dunn striking out two batters. In the top of the 4th inning Kittitas took advantage of two walked batters by Dunn who reached his 75-pitch count limit. Junior Helm took his place on the mound with the bases loaded and struck out the next two batters, but walked the next three. DW then sent Ashton Loper to the mound who struck out the last batter to end the top of the 4th, but Kittitas scored three. In the bottom of the inning DW scored one when Helm reaches base on an error, stole second and tagged on a fly from Gradwohl to reach third. He then stole home on a wild pitch.

In the fifth with runners on the corners, J. Williams makes a huge one-hop throw to home and beats the runner to stop Kittitas from scoring. DW scores one more run in the bottom of the fifth to keep a three-run lead.

DW kept Kittitas scoreless in the 6th retiring the first three batters. Kyle Gradwohl hit a deep shot over the center field fence for a solo homerun. Brayden Miller smacked a hard double for an RBI, and DW scored 4 in the inning.

 Kittitas tried to battle back and scored 4 in the 7th inning, but lost 11-14. 

Game Two

Dayton/Waitsburg lost the second game with errors on routine plays at critical times.  Kittitas simply played better ball in the second game. Kyle Gradwohl struck out eight batters in the first four innings and ended with the game tied at four all. Nic Dougherty slugged a double to the right field fence in the bottom of the fourth which moved the runner, Jack Willis to third. Willis was then sent home by the base coach and thrown out by inches. Dougherty then made it home on a single from Gradwohl to score in the bottom of the 4th.

But Kittitas came back scoring three in the fifth and seventh innings to win. Kyle Gradwohl led DW with a single, a double and two RBI's. Helm scored in the first inning and Gradwohl and Dunn rounded the bases in the third inning. Dougherty made it home in the fourth, but that was the end of scoring for DW. Dougherty ended the 7th inning with a horizontal diving catch at second after Kittitas scored their final three runs.

Game #1

 Kittitas  0    4  0  3  0  0  4  11  9   4

D/W    6    2  0  1  1  4  -   14  7   5

 Pitching:

(Visitors)    T. Ott (1-K)   T. Ledgard (2-Ks)  J. Hudson (1-K)

(Home)      J. Dunn (5 Ks)  J Helm (1-K)  A. Loper (4-Ks)

Win:   J. Dunn

Loss:  T. Ott

Save:  A. Loper

 Hits:  Kittitas - Webber 2, T. Ott, J Lael 2, T Ledgard 2, J. Hudson (double). Dayton - C. Philbrook, K. Gradwohl 2 (HOME RUN), A. Loper, J. Williams 2, B. Miller (double)

 RBIs:  K. Gradwohl (4), A. Loper (2), J Williams (3), J. Dieu (1), B Miller (2), M. Conrad (1)

Game #2

Kittitas   0  4  0  0   3  0  3   10   8   4

D/W 1  0  2  1  0  0  0    4    8   6

Pitching:

Visitors:    B. Webber (W) (8-Ks)

Home:      K. Gradwohl (L) (-Ks), A. Loper 1 1/3 innings (1-K), J. Helm (1 2/3 innings (1-K)

Hits:  B. Webber 3, T. Ott, D. Buyers, J. Hudson, T. Deckoning, Dayton - Helm, K. Gradwohl 2 (double), J. Dunn), J Williams 2, J. Willis, N. Dougherty (double)

RBIs: K. Gradwohl (2), J. Dunn (1), J. Williams (1)