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Bend slows down Bartels By KEVIN GOFF Trading a relaxing summer vacation for a couple more months on the diamond was an easy decision for Andrew Bartels. The former Phoenix High baseball and basketball standout wouldn't have it any other way. Bartels, fresh off his debut season at the University of Willamette, is now 14 games into a season that lasts until mid-August with the Southern Oregon RiverDogs amateur baseball squad. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound third baseman/pitcher has already put up impressive numbers. Bartels, a two-time all-league and second-team all-state performer while with Phoenix, leads the RiverDogs with a .485 batting average and had a 10-game hit streak until running into Bill Allen of the Bend Elks in a doubleheader on Tuesday at Miles Field. Allen limited Southern Oregon (7-7) to just four hits and held Bartels to an 0-for-3 performance in the 2-0, seven-inning opening-game loss. The RiverDogs dropped the nightcap of the doubleheader, 4-1, leaving them 0-6 in their recent six-game series with the Elks. The Game 1 loss put a damper on an impressive outing by former Crater High pitcher Casey Campbell. The lefty, who fell to 2-1 on the season, gave up three hits - all in the second inning - then retired the side in order in each of the final five innings. "Casey threw very well," said Southern Oregon coach John White. "The only exception was that one inning where he was leaving the ball up." In the decisive second inning, Bend's Mike Wagner reached on a one-out single and advanced to second on a groundout. Following a hit-batsman, Blake Fisher belted a 2-2 offering from Campbell into right field to produce the game's first run. Shane Crowder followed with an RBI hit through the right side of the infield to cap the only scoring of the contest. Southern Oregon had runners reach second only twice and couldn't cash in either time with what little Allen permitted them to work with. Steve DeClerck led off the first for the RiverDogs with a two-base hit to left but was doubled off second after a line drive off the bat of Caleb Robbins was snagged by the Bend shortstop. In the sixth, Don Jenkins' routine grounder to short was thrown high to first, allowing Jenkins to move to second. With two outs and Tim Alvarez at the plate, Jenkins was picked off second on a strong throw from catcher Brian Munhall to end the inning. Paul Ritchie and Kevin Cave each had RBI hits in Game 2, leaving Bend 24-7 on the season. Bartels didn't make an appearance at the plate in the second game, but tossed two innings of relief, walking one and holding the Elks hitless after spelling starter Jesse Stevenson. Despite his hitless performance on Tuesday, Bartels has remained consistent with an introduction to the wood bat used in the amateur league. "It was kind of a hard adjustment," said Bartels. "Most hits that are normally hits with aluminum bats don't carry as well with the wood bats and don't turn out to be hits." In 33 at-bats this season, Bartels has a team-high 16 hits. He has logged only six innings of work from the mound, however, due to a sore arm. After a short stint on the Willamette basketball team, Bartels turned his focus to baseball and hit .222 with a home run and three RBI in nine plate appearances. He also turned in 19 innings of pitching duty with a 2-0 record and 5.21 ERA for the Bearcats. "It's been a lot of fun," said Bartels of his summer season. "It's also great to come home from college and have a place to play. I hope to do it again next year." The RiverDogs are off until they visit the Portland Wildcats on Friday at 7 p.m. FIRST GAME Bend.......................................................020 000 0 - 2 3 1 Southern Oregon.................................000 000 0 - 0 4 0 Allen and Munhall; Campbell and Robbins. W - Allen. L - Campbell (2-1). 2B - SO: DeClerck.. SECOND GAME Bend.......................................................001 300 0 - 4 6 1 Southern Oregon.................................100 000 0 - 1 4 0 Garretson, Troila (5), Mills (7) and Ritchie; Stevenson, Bartels (6) and Robbins. W - Garretson. L - Stevenson (0-1). 2B - B: Wagner. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.