By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

It was a homecoming of sorts for Dallas’ Natalie Davis Friday evening at Wallace Marine Park in West Salem.

After spending much of the summer playing in Washington, along the Gorge and at the Maple Street Park in Canby with the Gorge Thunder Davis played in the Thunder’s Jag Labor Day Classic pool play opener for the squad, starting at second before getting action at first and third base.

“It’s…refreshing.  You don’t have to travel as much,” said the quiet Davis, a Junior with the Dragons.  “I think this game has helped us realize that we need to put in a lot more effort.”

The Thunder jumped out to a 9-5 lead with home runs from Reese Leiblein and Aliva Benavidez, Davis grounded into two fielder’s Choices before getting a long double and driving in a run herself before the time limit hit in the Thunder’s tough 13-9 defeat to start the tournament.

Gorge will be back at it again Sunday morning with games at 8am and 10am against the Aloha Breez-Combs and Corvallis Liady Knights-Westby back at Wallace Marine Park in West Salem.