DRYDEN — The Dryden baseball team took advantage of Whitney Point’s struggles on the mound and only needed five to put the Eagles away, as the Lions scored every inning to run away with a 13-0 win Thursday at Dryden High School.
After holding Whitney Point scoreless in the top of the first inning, Dryden quickly showed its patience at the plate and aggressiveness on the base path. The Lions only had two hits in the first inning but scored seven runs.
Xavier Washington began the rally by being hit by a pitch and then stole second and third before scoring on a wild pitch. Connor Casterline followed with a walk, stolen base and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Brody Casterline then walked, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Owen Strickland was hit by a pitch and Danny Murphy struck out, Braden Allen hit a two-run single to make it 4-0. Zach Wiser added another single following Allen’s at bat. Cole Goggan then reached on an error and the nine hitter, Collin Weik, walked. Allen, Wiser and Goggan would all score later in the inning, with the final run coming on an RBI walk from Brody Casterline.
Dryden drew five more walks and scored three runs in the second inning. The Lions added two more runs in the third and a final run in the fourth. Wiser recorded the team's only other hit.
In total, Dryden drew 14 walks and was hit by four pitches while only having three hits. In the end a win is a win and after beginning the season 1-6, the Lions have rattled off three wins in a row.
“We have to focus on one game at a time and put it together,” Dryden head coach John Pascarella said. “Their attitudes are great. Even when they are down, they are still cheering. You can’t ask for much more than that.”
Cole Goggan also held the Whitney Point offense in check. He registered two strikeouts in the first inning and then looked untouchable in the second, third and fourth. Goggan struck out the side in the second and third innings, facing six batters. He also struck out the side in the fourth inning but faced five hitters, walking one. He finished with 11 strikeouts on 74 pitches in just four innings of work.
“I just kept it simple with the four-seam and two-seam fastballs,” Goggan said. “Once I started going with that for a while, I mixed in the curve and that worked pretty well.”
Weik came in to close the game out in the top of the fifth inning and also recorded two strikeouts.
Dryden will look to win its fourth straight game at 5:30 p.m. today at home against Whitney Point.
