Nyssa’s Adam VanMeter takes to the dirt to slide safely into second base during game one against Riverside. (The Enterprise/John L. Braese)
VALE – Still waiting for sod to take root on their own playing field, the Nyssa baseball team found the Vale field to their liking, scoring Nyssa’s first victory of the season with a 13-3 win over Riverside.
The luck of playing on the Viking field did not hold in game two as the Bulldogs fell 18-6 to the Pirates.
In the victory in game one, the Nyssa bats were alive with Elijah Cleaver and Cam Elguezabal each recording three hits. Elguezabal picked up six RBIs in the game and pitched two innings, picking up four strikeouts.
The runs continued early in game two for Nyssa as the Bulldogs put up five runs in the first inning.
The Pirates responded with a five-run second inning and finished the game with a seven-run seventh inning to take a split for the day’s action.
Cleaver took the loss for the Dawgs, going five innings and recording five strikeouts.
With the league season just getting underway, Nyssa stands tied in second place with Joseph/Enterprise/Wallowa, Riverside and Vale.
Either Nyssa or Vale will drop out of the tie as the two teams were scheduled to meet on Tuesday, April 10 in Vale. Due to press time, results were unavailable.
The Bulldogs will travel to Weiser on Thursday, April 12 before again playing a home game on an unfamiliar field on Saturday, April 14.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs will host two games against Stanfield/Echo (2-0 league, 8-4 overall), the league’s leading team.
Game one will start at 1 p.m. at the Ontario High School field with game two scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
The Bulldogs are planning on returning to the Nyssa field later in the season, weather providing.
Cooler weather has slowed the sod taking root.