The Culver Bulldogs gave fourth-ranked Regis a major scare Wednesday, May 22 before falling in a 2A/1A State Baseball Playoffs matchup 1-0 Wednesday, May 22.
The Rams got a key RBI hit down the left field line with runners on first and second to score the game’s only run in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the sixth, Culver nearly took control of the game. They had runners on first and third with just one out. Cole Roff was at the plate and hit a screaming liner to the pitcher, Max Eaton. Eaton made a great play to catch the liner, then tossed to first to get a double play and get the Rams out of the inning.
That was the biggest threat to score for Culver. The Bulldogs only managed four hits against Eaton, singles by Joel Taylor, Kapp Novelli, Houston Wittenburg and Dakota Guest.
The entire game lasted just one hour and seven minutes, as both teams put the ball in play a lot but both teams also played great defense.
“That’s how baseball should be played,” said Culver coach Kyle Kuust.
The loss ended the Bulldogs’ season with a 20-7 record, but was 16-2 in their final 18 games.
The Bulldogs, who beat Myrtle Point May 20 2-0 to advance to the second round, had faced Regis three times earlier in the season, and lost those games by combined 33-0 scores. But since losing that third game 15-0 back on April 5, the Bulldogs turned their season around, winning 15 straight and 16 out of 17 games before heading to Stayton to take on Regis.
Wednesday’s game clearly matched two sharp teams. The Rams hadn’t lost since March and had reeled off 21 consecutive wins heading into the Culver matchup.
Aiden Guest pitched for the Bulldogs, ranked 14th, after the team’s No. 1 pitcher, Wittenburg, went the distance on Monday against Myrtle Point. Guest was outstanding, noted Bulldog coach Kyle Kuust, and the defense behind him was stellar, especially the outfield. Left fielder Delsin Chapman, centerfielder Roff and right fielder Novelli each had several flyball putouts. Culver made just one error in the game, and it caused no damage.
“We had no reason to hang our heads after that game,” said Kuust.
The 1-0 loss capped a season that saw Culver start the year 4-5, with three of those wins against junior varsity teams. When Regis left Culver after a 14-0 and 15-0 doubleheader sweep April 5, the Dawgs’ season looked like it might be bleak. Instead, it became a memorable one of resurgence.
“We had early season struggles,” said the coach. “But we found ourselves, started practicing better, got a pretty good rhythm going, found our groove.”
The Bulldogs had just two seniors on the team, Aiden Guest and Chapman, and will look to come into the next season a very experienced team.
“We’ll be a tough group,” said Kuust, who added that the entire league should improve next year, though Regis will be looking at replacing a lot of key seniors.
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