Three straight losses put The Dalles Riverhawks' playoff hopes in danger

The Dalles High Riverhawks dropped three consecutive OSAA Class 4A Tri-Valley Conference baseball games over a four-day span last week, leaving their postseason position in jeopardy with the regular season nearing its end.

The Details

The No. 18-ranked Riverhawks, who entered the stretch at 12-7 overall, now sit at 12-10 and 2-5 in conference play after the skid. The losses came in rapid succession against two of the Tri-Valley’s stronger programs: Estacada and Molalla.

The stretch opened on May 4 with a 2-1 road defeat at No. 15 Estacada. The game was decided on a two-out, walk-off home run in the seventh inning. The Dalles was outhit 4-1, with Evan Ortega accounting for the Riverhawks' only hit of the contest. Despite the limited offensive output, head coach Pat Clark praised the pitching effort from his staff. "It was a great pitching match-up, without much offense, but just great performances from our pitchers Chase Petereson and Evan Ortega, who both threw very well," Clark said. "It was simply a good game that we just came out on the wrong end of."

Two days later, Estacada visited The Dalles for a rematch and again emerged with a narrow victory, this time 4-3. The Riverhawks mounted a late bases-loaded rally in the seventh inning but could not complete the comeback. Gunnar Bustos started on the mound and struck out six while allowing seven hits, keeping the game within reach for The Dalles. "The game came down to one pitch at the end, but again things just didn't go our way, and it easily could have," Clark said after the game. "Our starting pitcher, Gunnar Bustos (six strikeouts, seven hits allowed), competed well enough to keep us in the game with a chance to win. Both of the games versus Estacada were tight and really could've gone to either team."

The following day, May 7, the Riverhawks hosted No. 1 Molalla for their third game in four days and absorbed a 14-5 loss. Clark pointed to defensive lapses and the strength of the opponent as contributing factors. "We just made too many defensive mistakes against a more experienced Molalla team," Clark said. "Their lineup is deep and they pitch well. We had chances, but we just never got much going offensively."

With four games remaining on the schedule, The Dalles holds fourth place in the five-team Tri-Valley Conference. Only the top two teams receive automatic berths into the 16-team OSAA Class 4A playoff bracket, putting the Riverhawks in a difficult position unless they can close the gap in the final stretch. Clark noted the challenge of the conference slate this season and the learning curve his team is navigating.

Context

The losing streak followed a stretch in which The Dalles had won two of three Tri-Valley Conference games, suggesting a competitive but inconsistent season in a demanding league. Estacada entered the series ranked No. 15 in the state, while Molalla sat at No. 1, underscoring the caliber of opposition the Riverhawks faced during the week. Clark, who is in his fifth season leading the program, has emphasized the developmental aspect of the year, noting that the team is young and gaining experience that could benefit future seasons. "The Tri-Valley Conference is tough this season," Clark said. "We are young and learning a lot of valuable lessons this spring that will hopefully pay off in major ways over the next few years."

The Riverhawks' current 2-5 conference record places them behind the pace needed for an automatic qualification spot, though the remaining four games offer a narrow window to shift their standing.

What's Next

The Dalles has four remaining conference games and must make up ground in the standings to secure one of the two automatic playoff berths from the Tri-Valley Conference. Given the current gap to the top two spots, each remaining contest carries significant weight for the Riverhawks' postseason chances. The outcomes of those games will determine whether The Dalles advances directly to the 16-team bracket or faces elimination from playoff contention.