By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
ALBANY, Ore.– Dallas’ Thomas Hess really found his groove with the bat on Monday afternoon in the Oregon State Showcase against the Sawtooth Sockeyes at Linn-Benton Community College.
The incoming Dragon senior collected two hits and drove in three runs, leading an early charge that saw the Vencer Scout 18U squad take an early 4-0 lead on the Sockeyes going into the fourth inning.
“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal because I was just trying to help my team out and do the best I can. I’ve came in with a slump the last two games and not really getting any hits, so it was good to get some hits for the team,” said Hess.
Hess was a DH in the contest, his two hits was part of a nine-hit performance for Vencer with his 3RBI’s accounting towards the five runs that the squad had in the 5-3 victory.
Vencer limited Sawtooth to a run in the top half of the fourth and two in the sixth for their three runs as Jackson Barba (Central) and Riley Wilson (Sprague) led the defense, Barba struck out four in five innings of work with Wilson picking up a strikeout in two innings of work.
Wilson, along with Santi Alarcon (Central) each also had two runs in the game. Wilson and Trey Carstensen (Silverton) each drove in runs as well in the victory in Albany.
“It feels good because we haven’t played that good in a long time. It was a good start to the showcase because our team was like a well-oiled machine (today), working together,” said Hess.
Vencer will play two on Tuesday, first against the Benz Boys 18U squad at 9:30am at LBCC before taking on Lydo’s Lab Scout Team at 4:15pm over at Goss Coliseum at Oregon State University.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
