Mobile Athlete Coaching (MAC) tallied six multiple-run innings to deliver a 15-3 thumping to Rural Baseball Inc. during a nine-inning exhibition game Tuesday night at Winlock High School.
MAC came flying out the gate, taking advantage of a pair of Dirtbag errors, a run scored on a wild pitch and then a bases-loaded double by Chris Rivera to set the tone and take a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
MAC would go on to add runs in all but two innings, tallying nine total hits. Easton Snider, a Tenino High School product, led MAC’s offensive firepower with two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Mason Ubias, from Rochester High School, was 2 for 4 at the plate with a double. Rivera finished with a game-high three RBI.
“Fun, local game against (Rural Baseball),” MAC coach Jake Overbay said. “The boys played good, clean baseball with solid defense, quality at-bats and arms were good on the mound.”
Brody Rustmeyer played standout defensive at shortstop and cracked a home run in the seventh inning to squash any remaining hope for a Dirtbag comeback.
"The shot from Rustemeyer was a no-doubter off the bat,” Nailon said. “I think we were having a spin-rate issue on that pitch. Gonna have to check the baseballs."
MAC’s Brice Guintoli earned the win with dominant relief work after tossing three shutout innings to end the game.
Rural Baseball struggled on the defensive end, committing 10 errors. On the offensive side, the Dirtbags scattered six hits, led by Toledo High School’s Jesse Towns, who had a base hit and a run scored.
Nailon said the momentum shifted early, when the Dirtbags missed a sliding catch in right field on the first swing of the game.
“I'm pretty sure if that ball sticks instead of escaping, the rest of the game goes a different way,” Nailon said. “Our guys would have said, 'Oh, so that's what we're doing today. Making plays. Got it!.' But that's not what happened. As Chuck Boland would say, 'And that's the way the ball bounces.'"
Dirtbags’ catcher Caden Norton smashed a triple to right field in the second inning that led to their first run of the game. Recent Toledo grad Ryan Bloomstrom, Mossyrock alum JC Workman, Chaz McFarland and Hunter Gutenberger each added hits.
Gutenberger continued to make strides in the outfield, Nailon said, tracking down a couple fly balls with confidence. He also pitched and caught.
Austin Stout turned in an impressive performance on the mound in the top of the ninth inning, allowing just one walk with a pair of strikeouts at the top of the MAC order.
RJ Workman, from Mossyrock High School, pitched well in relief, registering five strikeouts with two earned runs across four innings.
"Loved what we saw out of (RJ) Workman on the mound,” Nailon said. “He was letting his Mossyrock mud-flap flop out and his curveball snap. He only made one mistake while soaking up some pretty miserable innings at the beginning of a long week. That's a big help to our bullpen."
Rural Baseball hosted Kelso Premier on Wednesday night. The Dirtbags travel to Longview at 3:45 p.m. Thursday for a doubleheader with Lower Columbia Baseball Club’s Hilander Dental.
Rural Baseball Inc. vs Mobile Athlete Coaching
At Winlock
MAC 15, DIRTBAGS 3 (9 inn.)
MAC 422 200 230 — 15 9 1
RBI 010 002 000 — 3 6 0
Batteries: MAC — Mason Ubias, Luke Uchytil (4), Bruce Giuntoli (7) and catchers. RBI — Caden Norton, RJ Workman (4), Hunter Gutenberger (8), Austin Stout (9) and Todd Tabor and Gutenberger.
