Mustangs fit to be tied
FAIRFIELD — Jesse Scholtens didn’t allow a hit and the defense of the Rodriguez High baseball team behind him was superb.
And the rain washed it all away.
The Mustangs and Cordova of Rancho Cordova battled to a scoreless tie through four innings before Mother Nature threw both teams a curve and forced the postponement of their Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoff outbracket game on Monday.
According to Rodriguez coach Jason Chatham, SJS commissioner Pete Saco ruled that the game be played over in its entirety today, weather permitting.
“I don’t know what to think, I don’t know what to say,” Chatham said. “We have more questions than answers at this point. It felt like the first week of the season. It was cold and rainy. We were getting out bags of Diamond Dry.”
Cordova (16-11-1) had a chance to score in the first inning when a Jonathon Macmonagle was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball. After another batter walked and later tried to get caught in a rundown, Macmonagle broke for the plate where first baseman Nick Perez’s throw to catcher Trever Faulkner was waiting for him.
The best chance for Rodriguez (22-4-2) to score came in the fourth when Faulkner led off with a walk and, one out later, Perez doubled off the wall, sending Faulkner to third. However, a strikeout and a fly out ended the threat.
“The game was pretty evenly played,” Chatham said. “We got our chance to look at some of their guys, see what we’re up against. So did they.”
What the Lancers won’t be up against today is Scholtens, who threw 60 pitches in his four innings of work. Chatham said Jake Caballero will get the start today.
“In our minds Scholtens and Caballero are 1 and 1A,” the coach said. “I think in a tournament situation we have the ability, we have the arms to handle something like this. We have confidence in Jake. They’ve both been throwing the ball real well. We think we’re fine either way.”
There’s no rest for today’s winner. It must take on Pioneer Valley League champ Lincoln, which didn’t have to play an outbracket game, on Wednesday at Sacramento’s McAuliffe Memorial Field in another elimination game.
The rainout “definitely changes things up,” said Chatham, who voiced confidence in No. 3 starter Devon Golden if he’s called on. “Certainly, we’ve got out hands full right now (with Cordova). We’ve got to have our bats wake up a little bit, which I’m certain they will.”
Short URL: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/?p=46997
Posted by Daily Republic staff
on May 16 2011.
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