Bulldogs race past Braves behind explosive start
Whitefish didn’t ease into Friday evening’s matchup against Flathead, scoring nine runs in the first inning to take a commanding lead and never let up in a 16-6 nonconference baseball victory at ABS park. The Bulldogs (2-1) set the tone immediately. After a quick out, Luke Dalen reached first on a walk and turned it into instant pressure, stealing second and third before scoring on a throwing error.
That sequence opened the floodgates. “We took advantage of some free bases and were able to capitalize,” Whitefish head coach Kyler Blades said. “Luke Dalen has been a catalyst for us, and he was flying around the bases again today.
” Flathead (2-4) struggled to find the strike zone, and walks piled up, wild pitches moved runners along and the Bulldogs continued to deliver. Gavin Knapp drew a bases-loaded walk and, even after a pitching change, the momentum didn't shift. Reyd Hobart punched a two-run single, and Finn Ryan followed with an RBI hit that turned into more damage on an error.
“We need to be able to throw strikes, plain and simple. When you throw that many pitches in five innings, it’s tough to win,” Flathead coach Richard Burland said. “This team will always be behind one another; we just can’t give up 16 runs on five hits.
” In the bottom half of the first, the Braves showed life. Dillon Wink led off with a single, and a string of walks helped bring in runs. Eli Coopman added an RBI knock as the Braves trimmed the deficit to 9-4, but it was as close as they would get.