When Cedar Rapids Washington pitcher Dakota Freese steps onto the mound for the Warriors, expectations are high.

“He’s a special kid and any time we have him going we expect good things from him,” Washington Coach Brent Henry said Wednesday.

Freese was selected in the 34th round of the Major League Baseball draft in June by the Chicago White Sox. He hasn't signed yet, but he left the Warriors to play with a travel team in Chicago in hopes of boosting his pro hopes.

Freese returned to the Warriors last Friday and was used as a designated in weekend games, but he got the chance to pitch Wednesday against Davenport West in a non-conference game. He lived up to the hype, despite going only three innings.

Freese struck out six of the 10 batters he faced as the Warriors dumped Davenport West, 10-0, in five innings at the Washington field.

Davenport players weren’t able to get a hit off Freese and were clearly outmatched as he made quick work of their lineup.

“We kept him on a strict pitch count and knew going in that he wasn’t going above 40 pitches and we kept him right at that,” Henry said, “but obviously he was a dominating pitcher today.”

Zach Zingula relieved Freese in the fourth inning and continued to keep Davenport hitters guessing, allowing only two hits the remainder of the game.

“Zach came in and was a completely different pitcher (than Freese), just enough to keep them off balance. He threw strikes and did a great job for us,” Henry said.

Although the Washington pitchers were good, they didn’t need to be. The Warriors (13-20) were strong at the plate as well, collecting 12 hits in the short game.

Leadoff hitter Jordy Brown went 3-for-3 and catcher Sam Kacena went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Kacena belted a two-run double off the left field fence in the fifth inning, making the score 10-0 and putting the mercy rule into effect.

“Our approach was no different today then it has been all year,” Henry said. “Guys did a great job at being aggressive early in the count and finding gaps with their hits.”

The Warriors have won four straight games.

“The guys are having fun. We are playing good baseball right now and this is the time to do it, so we are excited,” Henry said.

Washington hosts Dubuque Senior in a doubleheader Friday.

DAVENPORT WEST (0)
Miller, c, 2 0 0 0, Clark, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Reese, dh, 2 0 0 0, Simmons, cf, 2 0 1 0, Riessen, rf, 2 0 0 0, Cannavo, ss, 2 0 1 0, Delf, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Johnston, p, 2 0 0 0, Gipple, lf, 1 0 0 0  Hoth, 3b, 0 0 0.  Totals 17 0 2 0.

WASHINGTON (10)
Brown, lf, 3 3 3 1, Dostal, c, 3 1 1 1, White, ss, 3 0 0 1, Puk, 1b, 3 0 0 1, Rhatigan, 3b, 3 1 2 0, Burdt, rf, 3 2 2 1, Zingula, 2b, 3 2 2 0, Freese, p, 1 0 0 0, Troendle, cf, 2 1 0 0, Kacena, 2 0 2 3. Totals 26 10 12 8.

Davenport West   000 00 -  0   2 2
Washington         201 52 - 10 12 0

Johnston, Siebol (4) and Miller. Freese, Zingula (4) and Dostal, Kacena (4). W – Freese. L – Johnston. 2B - Simmons, Zingula, Kacena. 3B - Rhatigan. SB - Brown 4, Dostal, Troendle.