Bulldog baseball team clinches first place in league
Ramona Bulldog baseball enters the final week of the season in the driver’s seat. The Dawgs have clinched a playoff berth with a 20-7 record and are in first place all alone in the Valley League with an 8-2 mark. The Dawgs have to win one game against Oceanside to earn the crown outright.
The Dawgs swept defending league champs Westview High School in a home and home series. The Wolverines had needed to sweep the Dawgs to take control of the league race and defend their crown.
Erik Ernst (8-1) pitched four innings-plus to pick up the win on the road as Ramona beat Westview 9-4. He scattered six hits and had trouble with his control as he walked six and gave up four runs and struck out two.
Beau Sulser finished on the mound and gave up one hit and struck out four in two innings plus worked to pick up the save.
Ramona opened the game with a four-run first inning. Westview scored three runs in the second to make it a game. The Dawgs made it a 5-3 game in the third. Westview rallied in the fifth but Sulser came in and slammed the door. Ramona ensured the win with two runs in the sixth and two more runs in the seventh.
The Ramona offense was paced by Blake Drake as both sluggers delivered home runs in the game. Brady Wilson tripled and Kyle Gray doubled as the Bulldogs ripped 14 hits in the game. Drake went 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs. Gray was 2-for 4. James Nicholson, Beau Sulser, Jackson Willeford and Smiley Willeford all had two hit outings. Niklas Skinner contributed a hit in the win.
Cody Willingham picked up his ninth win of the season in an 11-2 win at home over the Wolverines. The senior righthander pitched six innings and gave up one earned run on four hits as he fanned seven.
Jason Snodgrass finished on the hill and pitched a shut out inning and fanned one.
Ramona scored six runs in the first inning as 11 Dawgs went to the plate. Willingham did the rest.
Wilson paced the offense with a single and two doubles as he scored three runs and had an RBI. Jackson Willeford, Skinner and Michael Scodellaro all had two hit games. Sulser drove in four runs with one hit in four trips. Smiley Willeford and Drake also had hits in the league win.
The Dawgs will try to earn their fourth Valley League crown before they depart for the Palomar League next season.