Green took another step in the right direction, as Head Coach Jon Wallace and the Bulldogs defeated Suburban League leader Wadsworth 8-4 on a cold, rainy Monday.

Both teams had chances to be the first to put runs up on the scoreboard, but nice throws by Grizzly Brett Cline and Bulldog Zach Runion kept both teams at zero.

With two outs and nobody on, it appeared as Green would fail to climb onto the scoreboard in this half inning. Junior Dicky Coombs hit a light groundball to third base.

The hit acted as a swinging bunt, and Coombs was able to hustle down the line and beat out the throw.

After a walk, junior Lee Grosscup was down 0-2 in the count but battled back and forced a second consecutive walk to load the bases.

Leadoff hitter Runion also fell to 0-2, but became the second straight hitter to battle back to 3-0, and with the go-ahead runner 90 feet away, laid off a pitch that missed by mere inches, becoming the third straight hitter to walk and giving Green their first lead of the game.

Maybe it was frustration, maybe it was the weather – but the Grizzlies would become unraveled and the Bulldogs would take advantage of their mistakes.

A passed ball would give the Bulldogs an insurance run and push the lead to 2-0. A couple of pitches later Bulldog senior Brian Todd sent a fly ball to left-center field. Neither Wadsworth defender called for the ball and it dropped in between them, sending two more runs home.

Wadsworth wouldn’t stay down for long.

Green starting pitcher Kurt Gamby scrambled to keep the game tied, but the damage was done and the lead was lost.

Senior Runion, already with a great play in the field and an RBI, drove a towering shot to right field that seemed to hang in the air far longer than any baseball should. It came down, but out of reach for any Wadsworth fielder, as Runion got just enough under the baseball for a round-tripper.

The Bulldogs regained the lead 5-4 – more impressive, all five runs came with two outs in the inning.

“That play turned the game around,” commented Wallace. “They tied the ballgame and then Runion puts us back on top with one swing – that was a big lift. When you’re 3-12 and you give up a four run lead, a lot of the guys start looking around and asking questions.”

Runion sent his answer 340 feet over the right field fence.

Gamby, a sophomore, showed poise far beyond his years in the remaining three innings. Every time Gamby made the right pitch when it mattered and the Bulldog defense did their job beautifully.

Green made three great plays for the price of one. Junior second basemen Jake Deluca made a great stab and throw to second base, Grosscup made a quick turn and throw, and junior Tyler Guyton made a terrific scoop at first to complete the double play.

The Bulldogs put the game out of reach in the sixth, as  Guyton hit an RBI single after Coombs reached on an error. To cap the evening off, sophomore Grosscup drove a ball down the left field line, which just cleared the fence and foul pole for two runs.

Gamby closed the door on Wadsworth’s offense, and the Bulldogs made a great play.  Deluca caught a seaming line drive, and quickly threw to first for the double play to end the game.

“Wadsworth’s a great team,” commented Wallace, “and they’re gonna fight till the last out. It got a little intense for a while but we made plays when we had to.”

The Bulldogs started out 0-6 but are finally starting to pick up the pace, now 4-6 in their last 10 and showing signs similar to last year’s team – who made it all the way to the District Final.