RIDGEFIELD – Dasan Harris hit a two-run tiebreaking double in the bottom of the eighth as the Ridgefield Raptors beat the Cowlitz Black Bears 8-5 on Friday to snap a five-game skid.
Harris came to bat with one out after Patrick Engskov and Taylor Takata reached on infield singles. On a 2-2 count, Harris used a short, controlled swing to line the ball into the left-center field gap.
A center fielder from the University of Oklahoma, Harris brought a simple approach to the plate in the eighth at Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex.
“With runners on I was just trying to make contact late in the count,” Harris said. “I was thinking just stay on top of the ball and drive it somewhere.”
Raptors catcher Luke Iverson followed with a double to drive in Harris. Both finished with two hits and combined for five RBI.
The resiliency of the Raptors offense marked Friday’s win. After Keaton Grady’s grand slam gave Cowlitz a 4-0 lead in the top of the third, Ridgefield struck back with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
“When we go down we’re trying to get those runs right back,” Harris said. “When we get them back we’re full of energy in the dugout.”
Ridgefield (11-16) got another stellar showing from its bullpen. Raptors relievers have only allowed one run in the past 18 innings.
Zach Todd allowed one hit and one run over three innings of relief. Tito Santos then struck out the side in the eighth inning and Camden Oram pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.
“Pitchers, our job is to throw up zeros and let our offense breathe,” Todd said. “Unfortunately, I gave up that one run in my last inning. But those first two zeros put us in a good spot. At the same time, tribute to our hitters for picking us up when we give up a run.”
Three moments
Grand opening – Cowlitz struck first in a big way in the third inning. Keaton Grady (Dallas Baptist) launched a one-out grand slam onto the right field berm to give the Black Bears a 4-0 lead.
Taking advantage – Ridgefield took a 5-4 lead in the fifth thanks to a costly error. Hunter Katschke led off the inning with a fly that was dropped near the warning track in left. Katschke would up on third, then scored on Colby Wallace’s sacrifice fly.
Nearly reeled in – Harris almost tracked down Grady’s deep drive with two out in the seventh. But his sliding effort in right-center didn’t prevent a ground-rule double that tied the game and gave Grady his fifth RBI of the game.
Three players
Luke Iverson – The Raptors catcher ignited a third-inning rally with a one-out triple to score Takata and Harris. Ridgefield tacked on two more runs in the inning to erase a 4-0 deficit.
Carter Monda – The Evergreen High School grad started in right field for Cowlitz. Though he’s hitting .188, Monda (Northern Colorado) went 1 for 4 and has started to heat up with three hits in his last 12 at bats.
Colby Wallace – The new arrival got his first hit this season with an RBI single as part of Ridgefield’s four-run third inning. The right fielder from Washington went 1 for 3 with two RBI.
Three numbers
15.2 – The scoreless innings streak for the Ridgefield bullpen that ended in the top of the seventh.
38 – Fielding assists this season by second baseman Taylor Takata, who had a game-high five on Friday. Takata leads Ridgefield infielders in assists and has just three errors.
6:35 p.m. – The new starting time for Sunday’s home game, normally scheduled for 1 p.m. The start was moved due to forecast high temperatures.
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