Bellevue College baseball suffered a rough start this weekend after getting swept all four games by three-time defending NWAC Champion Lower Columbia. After being dominated in the season-opening 10-0 loss in which the ‘dogs underachieved in literally every area from pitching to defense to offense, Bellevue saved face by competing deeper into each game as the series went on. BC had chances in games two through four but fell short due to inefficient pitching and errors after the offense gave the squad chances to stay in the game. The weekend also marked the debut of two new Head Coaches as Lower Columbia’s Kurt Lupinski and Bellevue’s David Olson are embarking in their rookie campaigns.

On Saturday, after the opening 10-0 loss, Bellevue showed flashes of their potential as the ‘dogs tied the game up 2-2 in the sixth inning and again rallied in the ninth to make it 6-5. After the pitching showed improvement for the first five innings in which BC was right in the game, the Bulldog pitchers and defense crumbled, issuing 10 walks or hit batters along with four defensive miscues over the final three innings in an eventual 11-5 loss. Jacob Dahlstrom, who had a shaky first inning, ended up having the top performance over the weekend ,walking only one while striking out five in three innings of work. Cam Hoiland was 3-for-4 at the plate.

On Sunday, BC again competed head on with LC through five innings, but for the third game in a row, gave away the game in the middle innings on errors. Bellevue committed three huge errors in the sixth alone yielding a four-run inning to lead to LC’s 6-1 win.

In the series lackluster finale played by both teams, the Red Devils capitalized on three walks in the third inning for a three-run rally which ultimately led to the 6-3 win. Troy Baunsgard was 2-for-3 and was one of only three hitters over the entire weekend to garner multiple hits in a game as the Bulldog hitters were stymied by Lower Columbia’s pitchers all weekend long.

The 0-4 Bulldogs host Green River this Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Bannerwood Stadium in Bellevue.

Last Updated February 21, 2022