The RBI Dirtbags were three innings away from a trip to the RBI World Series, but a four-run fifth from Kelso Premier in the Northwest Regional Championship Game was enough to hand the Dirtbags a 6-4 loss on Saturday.
“This group of Dirtbags went through the fire this summer,” coach Jordan Nailon said. “And the ones that didn’t quit came out stronger on the other side.”
The Dirtbags took an early 2-0 lead and pushed it to 4-1 in the third thanks to some timely hitting, but once Kelso went to Owen Combs out of the bullpen, they struggled against his fastball.
Combs struck out six and didn’t allow a hit in four innings of relief to earn the victory.
Tre Groninger pitched well, but Premier was able to get to him for the four-spot in the fifth. He finished with four strikeouts in four and a third.
“Tre gave us a great effort on the mound,” Nailon said, while adding that he had to adjust to a tight zone. “He did a great job, but it forced his pitches to the heart of the plate, and that’s a dangerous place to live against KP.”
Trajen Ford came in out of the pen and allowed one hit and struck out one in an inning and two-thirds.
Connor Darnell, Blake Howard, Gavin Frewing, and Peyton Robbins all notched hits for the Dirtbags, while Brett Martynowicz led Kelos at the plate with a home run and a double.
Frewing was a huge reason why the Dirtbags were in the final, as in the semifinal earlier in the day, he pitched a complete-game shutout to lift them to a 1-0 win over Prosser.
“We saved the G-man for the semifinals, and he delivered in a big way,” Nailon said. “He worked in a show-me curveball that we perfected at the campsite and then let his heater go to work at the knees and letters.”
Darnell scored the lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth, reaching base on a single before swiping second. He also took third, and thanks to an errant throw by the Prosser catcher, he was able to trot home.
He also made a diving catch in the outfield, and Howard made a pair of spectacular plays at short, including a diving stop to his left where he was able to throw the runner out from his knees.
Nailon commended the leadership of his veterans, including Hunter Gutenberger, Groninger, Howard, Frewing, Darnell, and Robbins, saying that they helped set up the future by showing the young guys “all that’s possible when you’re willing to fireman carry your teammates across the line.”
“After a decade of running this program, it’s as clear as ever,” Nailon added. “Dirtbags don’t die. We multiply.”
