Gridley junior infielder/pitcher Garrett Francis (7) connects with a ball in the Bulldogs’ 6-5 victory over Marysville on February 26.

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley Bulldogs had a rough week as they went 1-2 in the Colusa tournament with losses to Durham and Winters from Friday, March 8, through Saturday, March 9.

Gridley was eaten alive in the tournament opener by errors against Durham. The Bulldogs committed five errors in the 5-0 loss and weren’t able to get any offense flowing consistently as a unit. 

Bulldogs sophomore left-handed pitcher Tanner Abbott went three innings, gave up four runs off of six hits and struck out five in the game. Gridley sophomore Eli Punzo came in for relief to start the fourth inning, had four innings of sold relief pitching where he gave up no runs, struck out seven and gave up two hits.

Gridley senior infielder/pitcher Emmet Smallwood (12) attempts to throw a ball to first base in the Indians’ 6-5 win over Marysville on February 26.

Abbott and Punzo each had a hit against Durham.

In the second game on March 8, the Bulldogs pounded the Mt. Shasta Bears 11-1 as the bats woke up and every player had solid contact throughout the game. Gridley senior catcher Bryar McWilliams and junior outfielder Gus Stogsdill each had three hits in the game as McWilliams and Punzo led the game with three runs batted in (RBI’s) each.

Bulldogs senior pitcher Emmet Smallwood picked up the victory as he pitched five innings with one run given up, two hits allowed, and nine strikeouts.

Gridley senior outfielder Cesareo Villalobos (8) throws a ball in from the outfield in the Bulldogs’ 6-5 victory over Marysville on February 26.

In the Colusa tournament finale last Saturday, Winters walked off the game against Gridley in the bottom of the seventh inning from a single with a runner on second base to score the winning run of the game. 

Bulldogs junior pitcher Garrett Francis took the loss as he pitched six innings, gave up four runs, surrendered seven hits, but was able to sit down eight Warriors with eight strikeouts.

Gridley Head Coach Quinn Spring, who is in his first season at the helm of the Bulldogs program, expressed to the Herald that his team needs more repetitions.

Spring added that the Bulldogs are struggling to put everything together at the same time for an entire game. Spring hopes to get healthy as he expressed to the Herald that Gridley is already experiencing injury issues in the beginning of the season. 

Gridley sophomore pitcher Tanner Abbott (5) throws a pitch in the Bulldogs’ 6-5 win over Marysville on February 26.

Spring told the Herald that when his team is able to work out the current kinks, that they will be a solid group.

Gridley traveled to West Valley in Cottonwood this past Wednesday, in the first of two rematches since the 2023 CIF Northern Section Division III final.

The Bulldogs hosted Red Bluff on Tuesday and are scheduled to host Central Valley today at 4 p.m.