Bulldogs win second place in Hartville tourney

The Gainesville Bulldogs were in Summit Conference action Tuesday, April 9, in Mansfield. The home team Lions jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Lions added another run in the bottom of the second inning and three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Bulldogs got on the board in the top of the sixth inning but allowed the Lions to score 3 more runs in the bottom half of the frame. The Bulldogs fell 9-1 to the Lions. The Bulldogs managed seven hits against the Lions but could not manage to put them together to score runs. Kase Wilson went 3 for 3 to lead the Bulldogs. Zach McKinzie, Dallas DeWeese, Aaron Swanson and Mason Morpeth all had a hit as well.

The Gainesville Bulldogs faced a tough Plato Eagles team Thursday, April 11. The Bulldogs allowed seven runs on 11 hits and four errors. The Bulldogs were able to score one run on seven hits themselves, but the Bulldogs left 13 runners on base, unable to capitalize. Dallas DeWeese led the way with two doubles. Aaron Swanson added another double while Mason Morpeth added two more hits and the lone RBI for the Bulldogs. Zach McKinzie and Kyle Clayton each had a hit. Harley Taylor took the loss.

The Gainesville Bulldogs were in action last weekend in the Hartville Tournament. In the first round, the Bulldogs faced a tough team in the Houston Tigers. The Tigers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Kyle Clayton held the Tigers in check until the top of the third inning when the Tigers scored another run. In the bottom half of the inning the Bulldogs’ bats finally woke up. The inning was led off by the hot bat of Mason Morpeth with a single to right field. Harley Taylor was walked and was followed by Aaron Swanson with a double to the right-center gap. Morpeth scored as Taylor moved to third. Kase Wilson did his job and hit a deep line drive to left field that plated Taylor, tying the game. But the Bulldogs weren’t done there. Brad Hamm was able to get on base when the pitcher tried to throw out Swanson at third base. Kyle Clayton was able to plate Swanson on a ground ball to the right side, moving Hamm to third. Dallas DeWeese got in on the action with a line-drive double to the wall in center field, scoring Hamm. Finally the Tigers were able to get out of the inning on a ground out by Zach McKinzie. The Tigers would get one run back in the top of the fourth inning, but Clayton and the Bulldogs were able to hold the Tigers the rest of the way, winning 4-3.

In the second round of the Hartville Tournament, the Bulldogs faced the Hornets from Laquey. The Bulldogs were able to jump on the Hornets early with seven runs in the first inning. That was all Aaron Swanson needed. Swanson pitched a perfect game through four innings, finally allowing an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bulldogs were led by Kase Wilson and Dallas DeWeese with two hits apiece. Kyle Clayton, Zach McKinzie, Thomas Ritter, Mason Morpeth, and Harley Taylor each had a hit. The Bulldogs won 8-1 and moved on to play the Hartville Eagles in the championship game.

In that championship game of the tournament, the Bulldogs faced the host team, the state-ranked Hartville Eagles. The Bulldogs were playing in their sixth game in six days, and it showed. The Bulldogs nearly scored early, but the Eagles did a good job holding the Bulldogs' bats in check, not allowing multiple hits in an inning and only allowing four hits total. The Bulldogs gave up 10 runs on 9 hits and 8 errors. The Bulldogs lost, taking second place in the Hartville Tournament. Brad Hamm, Dallas DeWeese, Zack McKinzie, and Mason Morpeth all had hits.

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