Dawgs make late-game comeback to sweep series with Huskies

PHOTOS BY LISA McGINTY | LMc Photography
Colter Chupp is greeted at home after a solo blast out of the park home run against Northwestern last week. The Dawgs have a 3-1 overall record and a 2-0 WCAL record.

Dalton’s Jaden Schlabach fires it in from right field.

Dalton’s Seth Manley gets a hold of the ball.

Isaac Wengerd starting pitcher.

 

By ARIEL STAHLER
Gazette & News sports writer

Dalton High School’s varsity baseball team ran past Northwestern in the first game of the Dawgs’ series with the Huskies. The second game was a challenge for Dalton, but they fought back for the win to complete the sweep. The Dawgs now have a 3-1 overall record and a 2-0 WCAL record.

Dalton was on the road March 30 when they grabbed the 11-1 win over Northwestern.

Isaac Wengerd hit a lead-off single in the first. After stealing second, Wengerd advanced to third on a ground-out by Jack Steiner. Seth Manley drew a one-out walk. Bennet Gwin smashed a two-RBI double to drive home Wengerd and Manley. The Huskies cut the lead in half during the bottom of the first.

Both teams remained scoreless until Dalton broke the drought with one run in the fourth inning. The Dawgs scored four more runs in the fifth, thanks in part to some defensive errors by Northwestern. Steiner led off the sixth with a walk that was followed by consecutive singles by Manley and Gwin to load the bases. Jaden Schlabach sent a two-RBI single to right field to score Steiner and Manley. This was followed by a single from Brandon Basinger to send Gwin home. This extended Dalton’s lead to 10-1. Schlabach recorded another double that scored a run in the seventh.
Manley was the winning pitcher. He went the distance, struck out 11, gave up two hits, one earned run and issued five walks.

Dalton hosted Northwestern March 31 for the second game of the series. After a hard-fought game, Dalton emerged with the 9-8 victory. The Dawgs got on the board in the first inning when Gwin doubled in one run. The Huskies responded in the top of the second to tie the score, but it was not even for long. Dalton came back with four runs in the bottom of the second.

Colter Chupp hit a solo shot, Wengerd doubled in two runs and Manley singled for one RBI.

The Huskies saw an opportunity to take advantage of a few slip ups by Dalton in the third inning to score seven runs. However, Dalton was not about to give up. Gwin doubled to lead off the bottom of the inning and he was driven home by a single from Schlabach. The Dawgs scored two more runs in the fourth to tie the game at 8-all. Manley scored Andrew Wyckoff in the fifth for the go-ahead run to seal the victory.

“We had a little defensive lapse in the third inning and let them score some runs and get some confidence,” said Dalton’s head coach Scott Huth. “I was proud of how we responded offensively, though, and fought back.”

Wyckoff was the winning pitcher with five strikeouts, four hits, no runs and one walk in 4 1/3 innings.