Trevor Bennett pitched an almost perfect game Wednesday.

But it still wasn’t quite good enough.

Bennett allowed only one hit at Homedale, Idaho, but that batter ended up scoring the game’s only run, in the bottom of the seventh inning, in Homedale’s 1-0 win.

“It was a hard-fought game, a tremendous game,” Baker coach Tim Smith said.

Albeit a disappointing one for the Bulldogs.

Bennett and Homedale pitcher John Collett were both dominant — Bennett slightly more so through six innings.

Each pitcher struck out nine batters.

Collett allowed three hits, and Bennett had a no-hitter through six innings.

The no-hitter ended when Homedale’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh singled.

The batter — appropriately, Smith said — was Collett.

With one out, Collett stole second and then advanced to third when the throw to second trickled into the outfield.

Homedale then put on a suicide squeeze bunt.

Bennett fielded the bunt cleanly and flipped the ball to Baker catcher Seth Dixon, who slapped his glove on Collett.

An instant too late, the home plate umpire ruled.

“It was a bang-bang play,” Smith said. “Could have gone either way.”

The Bulldogs had more to lament, though, than that last play.

Baker had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the fourth when TJ Dunn walked, Dixon reached on an error and Mason Dowdy had an infield single.

But Collett threw to home for the force out on a ground ball, and then he struck out the next two batters to thwart Baker’s best scoring chance. The Bulldogs also had runners on second and third with one out in another inning.

“We had our opportunities but we couldn’t get the big hit,” Smith said.

Baker, 5-4, is idle until Monday, when the Bulldogs travel to La Grande to open Greater Oregon League play against the Tigers (3-7).

Baker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0

Homedale 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 1

Bennett and Dixon. LP — Bennett.

Baker hits — Dixon. Dowdy, Plumley.