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Cavens: Winning pitcher in nightcap
The game Dakota Cavens dedicated to his grandfather didn’t start the way he hoped. But the Dr. Stewart’s pitcher settled in and made the effort worthy of the sentiment with an 8-2 win over Red Bluff, completing a doubleheader sweep Thursday night.
Cavens attended the memorial service and later wake of his grandfather, Sam Willhoft, earlier in the day, arriving at Legion Field just in time to see Justin Counts mow down the visiting Bulls in the first game, a 10-0 romp in five innings.
“It was an emotional day,” said Cavens, who scattered five hits and gave up only one earned run in five innings. “The funeral was really hard. But once we got to (River Forks) park for the wake, everyone in the family was there, talking and there was food. It was a lot happier.”
It all added up to an inspiring night for the Docs (8-2), who a night earlier had suffered their first losses of the season in demoralizing fashion, a sweep at the hands of Las Vegas.
The Docs backed up strong starting pitching with improved defense and timely hitting. A.J. Royal hit a three-run home run in the first inning of Game 1 and the Docs never looked back.
“I’m seeing the ball well right now and have been finding holes to hit through,” said Royal, who drove in five runs in Game 1. “It seems like each at bat I have hits going through holes.”
Jordan Guthrie hit a two-run double in the fourth and later came around on Royal’s third hit of the game to make it 8-0. A Mitchell Huff RBI and bases-loaded walk to Boone Farrington enacted the mercy rule in the fifth.
Counts’ gem got off to a rocky start. The lefty gave up a leadoff hit to E.J. Stanton, misplayed a bunt attempt by Josh Galbert and with one out beaned Aaron Collier. But Counts struck out the next two batters en route to retiring the final 14 Bulls he faced.
“He only threw about 70 pitches, so he could have gone more had we needed him to,” Docs’ coach Scott Shaver said.
Counts has provided a big boost for the Docs both on the mound, at the plate and in the clubhouse. The Linn-Benton Community College player improved to 2-0 and has two home runs.
“He’s a good guy to have around,” said Cavens, a teammate of Counts’ at Roseburg High and on Dr. Stewart’s last summer. “He’s a bit older and has a lot of experience and encourages us.”
Cavens gave up four hits in the first inning but only a run thanks in part to catcher Vince Ampi picking off Galpert while trying to steal second. After that Cavens settled in, not allowing a Red Bluff baserunner past second until Galpert’s RBI double in the fifth.
Kyle Fields and Brandon Jackson each worked perfect innings of relief.
The Docs led only 3-2 going into the sixth, but got five insurance runs to put the home side at ease. Derek Priestley hit an RBI single and two runs scored on Ampi’s hit coupled with an error. Huff doubled Ampi home and with two outs, stayed in a rundown long enough for Jered Stoffal to sneak home before being tagged out.
“That was a big inning for us,” Shaver said. “To get that cushion going into the seventh takes a lot of pressure off.”
Boone Farrington hit a sacrifice fly to score his brother Johnny in the first to tie the game and after doubling in the fourth, came home with Priestley’s high popup dropped in no-man’s land for a hit.
Red Bluff’s Ben Redfield gave up only four hits and one earned run in five innings, but was saddled with the loss. The Bulls brought in only 11 players to Legion Field due to injuries, including a Brown recluse spider bite to their star slugger, Travis Beckley.
“It’s pretty unusual,” Red Bluff coach Jim Bonomino said. “I thought we’d have 17 players and we come in here with 11. I thought we played well in the second game, but we didn’t throw enough first-pitch strikes. Roseburg is a good hitting team that will take advantage.”
The Docs next play Saturday on Alumni day, with a five-inning game starting at 5 p.m. and a seven-inning game to follow.
Cavens attended the memorial service and later wake of his grandfather, Sam Willhoft, earlier in the day, arriving at Legion Field just in time to see Justin Counts mow down the visiting Bulls in the first game, a 10-0 romp in five innings.
“It was an emotional day,” said Cavens, who scattered five hits and gave up only one earned run in five innings. “The funeral was really hard. But once we got to (River Forks) park for the wake, everyone in the family was there, talking and there was food. It was a lot happier.”
It all added up to an inspiring night for the Docs (8-2), who a night earlier had suffered their first losses of the season in demoralizing fashion, a sweep at the hands of Las Vegas.
The Docs backed up strong starting pitching with improved defense and timely hitting. A.J. Royal hit a three-run home run in the first inning of Game 1 and the Docs never looked back.
“I’m seeing the ball well right now and have been finding holes to hit through,” said Royal, who drove in five runs in Game 1. “It seems like each at bat I have hits going through holes.”
Jordan Guthrie hit a two-run double in the fourth and later came around on Royal’s third hit of the game to make it 8-0. A Mitchell Huff RBI and bases-loaded walk to Boone Farrington enacted the mercy rule in the fifth.
Counts’ gem got off to a rocky start. The lefty gave up a leadoff hit to E.J. Stanton, misplayed a bunt attempt by Josh Galbert and with one out beaned Aaron Collier. But Counts struck out the next two batters en route to retiring the final 14 Bulls he faced.
“He only threw about 70 pitches, so he could have gone more had we needed him to,” Docs’ coach Scott Shaver said.
Counts has provided a big boost for the Docs both on the mound, at the plate and in the clubhouse. The Linn-Benton Community College player improved to 2-0 and has two home runs.
“He’s a good guy to have around,” said Cavens, a teammate of Counts’ at Roseburg High and on Dr. Stewart’s last summer. “He’s a bit older and has a lot of experience and encourages us.”
Cavens gave up four hits in the first inning but only a run thanks in part to catcher Vince Ampi picking off Galpert while trying to steal second. After that Cavens settled in, not allowing a Red Bluff baserunner past second until Galpert’s RBI double in the fifth.
Kyle Fields and Brandon Jackson each worked perfect innings of relief.
The Docs led only 3-2 going into the sixth, but got five insurance runs to put the home side at ease. Derek Priestley hit an RBI single and two runs scored on Ampi’s hit coupled with an error. Huff doubled Ampi home and with two outs, stayed in a rundown long enough for Jered Stoffal to sneak home before being tagged out.
“That was a big inning for us,” Shaver said. “To get that cushion going into the seventh takes a lot of pressure off.”
Boone Farrington hit a sacrifice fly to score his brother Johnny in the first to tie the game and after doubling in the fourth, came home with Priestley’s high popup dropped in no-man’s land for a hit.
Red Bluff’s Ben Redfield gave up only four hits and one earned run in five innings, but was saddled with the loss. The Bulls brought in only 11 players to Legion Field due to injuries, including a Brown recluse spider bite to their star slugger, Travis Beckley.
“It’s pretty unusual,” Red Bluff coach Jim Bonomino said. “I thought we’d have 17 players and we come in here with 11. I thought we played well in the second game, but we didn’t throw enough first-pitch strikes. Roseburg is a good hitting team that will take advantage.”
The Docs next play Saturday on Alumni day, with a five-inning game starting at 5 p.m. and a seven-inning game to follow.
