For the second game in a row, the Bulldogs (ranked #8 in the Houston 5A Baseball coaches poll) played host with first place on the line in District 23-5A, and for the second game in a row they came away with a shutout victory, an efficient 4-0 win over the #19 Dulles Vikings. Bulldog Starting Pitcher Ryan Dalton went the distance, put up 9 strikeouts, allowed 3 baserunners on a walk and two singles, but faced only the minimum 21 batters. To back up their pitcher, the Bulldogs played error-free defense and erased those baserunners with a caught-stealing in the first, a pick-off in the fourth, and a double play in the fifth.

On the offensive side of the ledger, the Bulldogs got all the runs they would need in the bottom of the first. Dalton got things going with a 2-out single up the middle, and moved to second on 3B Erik Schweiger’s walk. LF Blake Doerr then singled to left to bring home Dalton with the game’s first run.

The Bulldogs would add to that lead in the third. SS Barrett Barnes followed up his lead-off walk with a stolen base, and he went to third on CF Daniel Rockett’s misplayed fly ball to right. A passed ball scored Barnes and moved Rockett to third, and he came home on Dalton’s sacrifice fly to left to make the score 3-0. The Bulldogs would tack on one more run in dramatic fashion, when C Matt Hills homered to left leading off the sixth.

Next up for the Bulldogs – A home game this-coming Friday night against the Kempner Cougars.

Bulldog Offensive Highlights:

· 4 hits for the Bulldogs, 1 for extra bases: HR for C Matt Hills; a single each for P Ryan Dalton, 3B Erik Schweiger, and LF Blake Doerr

· 3 RBIs on the game: 1 each for Dalton, Doerr, and Hills

Bulldog Pitching Highlights:

· Ryan Dalton, (4-0, 2-0) complete game victory, 7 innings, 9 K’s, 1 BB, 2 hits, 0 runs; faced the minimum 21 batters

Bulldog Defensive Highlights:

· With two outs in the first, Dulles baserunner #1 is caught stealing 2-6, C Hills to SS Barnes.

· After a lead-off single in the fourth, Dulles baserunner #2 is picked off first base, P Dalton to 1B Miller.

· After a lead-off single in the fifth, Dulles baserunner #3 is erased on a double play, SS Barnes to 1B Miller, with Miller using those catcher skills to pick the shorthop out of the dirt.

· In both the third and the sixth, Dalton struck out the side.

Winning Pitcher: Ryan Dalton (4-0, 2-0)

Losing Pitcher: Ryan Seagraves

Extra Base Hits, FBA: HR - Hills

Score by inning:

Submitted by: Tom Miller