Jaxson Milliken cuts down the lead base runner at third base after a pickoff from starting pitcher Dawson Youngblood in the top of the first inning. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
BELL BUCKLE — The Cascade Champions got a scare on Tuesday night when Richland put the would-be first run of the game just 90 feet away from home plate, but some heads up play from the infield, coupled with a seven-spot in the bottom of the frame, the home team cruised to its second-straight run-rule limit victory in as many games, beating the Raiders 14-2 in five innings.
Richland appeared to grab the upper hand and jumped on Champion starter Dawson Youngblood with back-to-back singles to lead off the top of the first and eventually advanced the lead baserunner to third base with nobody out.
But on a double steal attempt by Richland, from first to second and third to ho
Dawson Youngblood fires a strike across the plate in the first inning. He went four innings and struck out seven Raiders. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
me, Cascade got a throw down to Youngblood on the mound, instead of the throw down at second base, and Youngblood was successfully able to cut down the lead Raider runner at third.
Two punch outs later, the Champs came due at the plate.
And then came the fireworks.
Jordan Childress led off his three-hit night with a single in the Champs’ first at-bat.
Although Richland recorded the following two outs, Thomas Demartelaere reached via error and Jayden Hathcock drew a walk, bringing Jaxson Millikin to the plate.
Millikin settled in and hammered a ground ball triple to left, clearing the bases, giving the Champs a 3-0 lead.
But even after the base-clearing triple, Cascade wasn’t done.
Elijah Wessenburg was later hit by a pitch, scoring Millikin and
then Childress mashed a double, scoring three more runs for the Champs for the 7-0 lead after the first inning.
The big hits continued into the second inning when Wickey Parker continued his white-hot start to the season and crushed a lead-off homer in the bottom of the second over the right field fence.
Cascade went on to plate three more runs in the second inning, starting with an Isaac Winton single to center field that scored Demartelaere.
Winton and Caleb Crouch later scored on a Richland error, giving the Champs an 11-0 advantage.
Cascade continued to pad its lead in the third when Hathcock ground into a fielder’s choice to score Parker, before capping the night with two runs in the fourth, again coming with two outs, when Childress mashed a two-run line drive over the left field fence.
With a 12-0 lead, Richland did manage to push two runs across the plate in the top of the fifth to avoid the shutout, but came nowhere close to digging out from the massive deficit.
Childress had a banner night, recording five RBIs, going 3-for-4 with a double and a home run.
Parker kept his scorching hot start to the season going, finishing the game with a 2-for-4 night and his third blast in two games.
While a simple glance at the stats sheet may seem skewed in favor of the Cascade battery, the Champion pitching staff was nothing short of fantastic.
Youngblood got the start and the win on the mound, pitching five innings and giving up five hits, but struck out seven batters and allowed just two walks.
Winton worked an inning in relief and gave up two runs on two hits and struck out one.
With the win, Cascade has now outscored its opponents on the young season 24-4 through two games to start the 2025 campaign.
Richland 000 02 — 2 7 2
Cascade 741 20 — 14 9 0
Cascade: Jordan Childress 3-for-4, Wickey Parker 2-for-4, Thomas Demartelaere 1-for-2, Jaxson Millikin 1-for-3, Isaac Winton 1-for-2, Elijah Wesenberg 1-for-2.
WP: Youngblood
