'Dogs score early, often against Hawks

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[After winning in dramatic fashion their last time out in extra innings, the Harrisburg Bulldogs wasted no time getting busy with the sticks with an eight-run first inning in Wednesday's 20-2 win over Gallatin County at Dorris Heights.

The Bulldogs sent 14 men to the plate in the bottom of the first inning, getting RBI hits from Dawson Montfort, Noah King, Cain Sheldon, Keelin Rasch, and Christian Cummins.

The eight runs early were more than enough support for the junior Sheldon who struck out seven and walked none in four innings of work.

"It's nice to jump out that way, and I thought Cain pitched great for his first outing," said HHS coach Joe Thompson.

The Hawks got their two runs on a ball hit by freshman Drake Patton up the middle which plated Jared Hunt and Ryne Johnson.

HHS added nine more runs in the home half of the second to lead 17-2 after two innings.

Cummins and Montfort each drove in three runs on the day. King, Kolin Dowdy and K. Rasch all added two.

"I thought the best thing about today was with the pitches we got to hit, we put the barrel on most of them, and pitches that were out of the strike zone we left alone and got on base that way," Thompson said.

HHS knocked out 16 hits on the day, while limiting their opponents to only two.

"You give them (Harrisburg) extra outs and they kill you. They hammer the ball so well anyway," Gallatin County coach Dave Cruson said. "We did what we had to do and tried to get through, and we just gave them too much."

Freshman Tyler McGowan struck out the side in the top of the fifth in relief for Harrisburg as ten of the 15 Gallatin County outs were strikeouts.

Weather permitting the Bulldogs begin a full slate of games at home the rest of the week beginning with Westminster Christian this afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

"We've got five or six really tough games in a really short period of time. Westminster's program just gets better and better. Elgin St. Edward comes here Friday, and I thought they swung the bats really well last year. Pinckneyville comes here Saturday and they've just worn us out the last two years. Then we follow it up next week with two more big schools with Vernon Hills and Warren Township."

The Hawks travel to take on Galatia's Bearcats this afternoon.

Harrisburg 20, Gallatin County 2 (4 1/2 innings) Gallatin County 020 00-2 Harrisburg 891 2x-20 Gallatin County (4-2; AB R H BI): Casteel dh 2 0 0 0, Whipple ph 1 0 0 0, MAbell rf 2 0 0 0, Lowery c 2 0 0 0, Drone 3b 2 0 1 0, Hunt ss 2 1 0 0, Johnson lf 2 1 0 0, McGuire 2b 1 0 1 0, Patton 1b 1 0 0 1, TAbell cf 2 0 0 0, Steele ph 1 0 0 0, Grisham ph 1 0 0 0, Hall ph 1 0 0 0. Totals 20 2 2 1. Harrisburg (3-0; AB R H BI): ChCummins ss 2 2 2 3, CaCummins ph 0 1 0 0, DRasch rf 2 1 0 0, Owen ph 2 3 2 1, Roper 2b 2 2 1 0, Borders ph 1 0 0 0, Montfort 1b 3 2 2 3, Johnson ph 1 0 0 0, King c 2 0 2 2, Maxam ph 1 0 0 0, Sheldon p 2 0 1 1, Behme cr 1 4 0 0, Milstead ph 1 0 0 0, Dowdy cf 3 1 2 2, Thompson lf 3 1 1 0, McGowan ph 1 0 0 0, KRasch 3b 2 2 2 2, Leverett ph 2 1 1 1. Totals 31 20 16 14. Harrisburg ip h r er so bb

Sheldon W, 1-0 4 2 2 1 7 0

McGowan 1 0 0 0 3 0