By Jessica Blomquist
Staff Writer

    The Diamond Dogs went 2 for 2 at a tournament in Rome last week.
    The team started out strong in their first contest of the tournament on June 20, besting Cass High School with a final score of 7-4. Drew Stapleton led off the bottom of the first with a solo homerun. After reaching base, J.D. Hawkins scored on a sac fly from Eddy Diaz to finish up the bottom of the first inning. Pitcher Dylan Jaskowiak showed outstanding pitching effort by throwing for 5 2/3 innings to pick up the win. Clay Duvall pitched the final inning, picking up the save. The Dogs fell to Pierce County High School in their second game.
    The third game of the tournament, against Rome High School, was “a pitcher’s duel,” said Varsity Coach Brandon Patch in an e-mail interview.
    “Clay Duvall was outstanding on the mound.”
    Duvall threw a complete game to pick up the win, only allowing three hits, walking two, and with no earned runs. The Dogs won with a final score of 2-1.
    Dylan Peppers was the starting pitcher in the final game of the tournament against Grayson High School.
    He pitched three innings before Eddy Diaz came in as relief. Both pitchers did a good job of getting several ground ball outs, said Patch.
     Offensive leaders for the game were Caleb Duvall, who went 2 for 4 with one run scored, and Wesley Barrett who went 2 for 2 with one walk.
    Despite being down 8-3 in the final inning, the Dogs rallied to score four more runs, ending the game with a score of 7-8 against Grayson.
    “The Grayson game was a great test for our mental toughness,” Patch said. “Our guys stayed focused and never quit.”
    The Diamond Dogs will wrap up their summer schedule at home on Wednesday, June 25, in a double header against Aquinas High School from Augusta. The team’s summer record up to this point is 9-7.