Damon Treadwell didn't have his best outing in the Bulldogs' series opener with Golden Valley on Tuesday, but it didn't mean that he wasn't effective.
The 6-foot-3 righty still picked up the win after he tossed a seven inning complete-game and allowed just a single run on two hits, striking out six and hitting two batters.
Treadwell threw just 79 pitches and in the final three innings, retired nine of 10 batters faced and struck out three as the Bulldogs went on to top GV, 5-1, to capture their fifth straight win.
“Our defense basically saved me out there today,” said Treadwell. “In some of our games we haven't been on top of our defense and today we were on top of it and if we play like we did in the beginning of the season it might be a different game, but today I trusted my guys would take care of me.”
Treadwell also helped on the offensive side, hitting an RBI infield sacrifice that extended the Bulldogs' lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning as part of a three-run inning that sealed the deal.
“We hit a lot of fly balls, made one base running error but I was happy with our defense and the way Damon pitched,” said Turlock head coach Mark de la Motte. “He struggled with his control in some at bats, not his better day so to be able to pitch like that when you're not in top form is really good, he has definitely improved.”
Turlock opened up the game strong, scoring a run in the first to go up 1-0.
After a scoreless second, the Bulldogs notched their second run of the game and went up 2-0 after Tate Soderstrom hit an RBI double on a seven-pitch at-bat in the third.
“We did a good job getting that run in the first, great job bunting and running today,” said de la Motte.
Treadwell then hit the leadoff batter in the top of the fourth and would essentially score the team's only run of the game.
From this point on, Treadwell was nearly untouchable by the GV Eagles as he went on to dominate in the next 3 2/3 innings pitched, striking out four and allowing no hits during that span.
“Last couple innings were about getting runners on and executing with runners and at-bats, putting ball in play and putting pressure on them any way possible,” said Treadwell.
Turlock kept pressing throughout the game until the sixth inning came when things finally started to fall in line.
After senior Jon Temple got out to lead off the sixth, Peyton Dunseth reached first on a base hit and followed up with a steal to second on the ensuing pitch.
With plenty of speed under his belt, Dunseth, again, was aggressive from the bases and took third after a Chris Steeley single.
A mound visit, the only one of the ball game, by GV gave Turlock and coach de la Motte to go over the game plan and it was perfect timing.
Dunseth scored after Treadwell strung together an infield swing with a single out to make it 3-1.
Blaine Weber then hit an RBI double in the next at-bat and the inning ended with a Mitch Pryschuk RBI double to make it 5-1.
“GV is much better, with just three seniors, they are young and will get better... they really gave us all we could handle,” de la Motte added.
Pryschuk was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Tate Soderstrom was 1 for 3 with an RBI.
Turlock will play against Golden Valley on the road at 4 p.m. Thursday.
