IN SPORTS: LODI BASEBALL SWEEPS TOKAY
Lodi’s Stout pitches a gem as his squad closes out victory over Tokay
Logan Stout cooled off Tokay’s bats. Then the Lodi pitcher was cooled down by one his teammates.
Stout, a sophomore, got the job done on the mound in Wednesday’s Tri-City Athletic League baseball game at Zupo Field. Throw in plenty of offense, and Lodi posted an 11-0 win over its rival to close out the regular season for both teams. The game ended after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
This year’s three meetings had Lodi dominating each time. The Flames outscored the Tigers 32-8. On Tuesday, Lodi posted an 11-4 win and Monday at 10-4.
The win gives Lodi (9-6 in the TCAL, 15-11) a third place finish in the TCAL. Lincoln (also 9-6 in the TCAL and 15-11) defeated league champion St. Mary’s 41 on Wednesday, and takes second place based on beating Lodi in two of their three meetings last month.
Lodi, which earned its ninth consecutive playoff appearance, will join Lincoln, St. Mary’s (13-2 in the TCAL, 20-61) and fourth place Tracy (8-7 in the TCAL, 15-10) as the TCAL’s representatives for the Sac-Joaquin Section. Today at 4 p.m., the section will release the playoff brackets for all divisions in both baseball and softball on its website — cifsjs.org.
“We’ll find out (today),” said Lodi coach Hobie Schultz of who the Flames will play in the first round of the playoffs.
The Flames jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning against Tokay (4-11 in the TCAL, 8-19), thanks to four hits and one Tiger error that took place at the start of the game. Leadoff batter Colton Smithhardt looked like he would be thrown out at first base on an infielder grounder, but a Tokay infielder misplayed the ball that led to an error.
Then with one out, the Flames’ Evan Webb walked to put runners at first and second bases. Bobby Yabumoto drove Smithhardt home with a bouncing single up the middle of the infield to make
it 1-0. That hit was followed by another single, this time off the bat of Jonathan Charboneau.
Hayden Lewis smacked a triple that went deep to the center field wall for the Flames, who had three extrabase hits in the game. Capping off the inning was a single from Ian Watanabe, and Lodi led 6-0. The early runs certainly helped Stout on the mound as he pitched a three-hitter.
“That was huge, that was key,” said Stout of the Flames’ early runs. “I was a little shaken before the game, but toward the end, I got my groove.”
For the next two innings, Tokay pitcher Jack Gobel kept the Flames’ bat quiet, as he allowed no hits and walked one.
But the Tigers’ bats did not respond to the Flames’ hits and early lead. Another bright spot for Tokay was Dylan Mahurin going 2-for-3, and teammate Diego Ramirez doubled in the bottom of the third inning.
“Once the first inning was over, I wasn’t giving any signs,” said Tokay coach Pat Macfarlane of signaling from the third base coach’s box. “It was station-to-station baseball at that point. We just didn’t have enough offense this year. They (Lodi) are a good team. They are going to do well in the playoffs.”
Lodi, much like Stout finding his groove on the mound, found its groove at the plate in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Logan Morita reached first base on a Tokay throwing error that allowed him to hustle to second base. Morita would score on Yabumoto’s
single to left field to make it 7-0.
“Outstanding job for Logan,” said Schultz of Stout. “That’s two games in a roll he’s been solid out on the mound (Stout led Lodi to a 7-2 win over St. Mary’s on May 5). He’s just improving all the time.”
The Flames added the final four runs in the fifth off five hits, and a Tigers’ error in the game. Webb clubbed the Flames’ third extra-base hit in the game, also a triple that sailed deep into left-center field. Morita completed the extra-base hitting cycle with a double to the left field wall.
“We’ve been scoring runs the last few games off extrabase hits,” Schultz said. “The guys are starting to jell right now, and playing well together. It’s not just the nine guys that are out on the field; it’s everyone coming off the
bench.”
Along with base hits from Watanabe, Lewis and Smithhardt, plus the Tigers’ fourth error in the game, and Lodi led 11-0.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Stout struck out one Tokay batter, then watched a fly out and grounder end the game and the Tigers’ season.
After the game, Lodi teammate Jeffery Werder poured a jug of water over Stout. But the pitcher didn’t seem to mind, despite the fact he told Werder that the water “was cold.” Now the Flames turn their attention to the third season — playoffs.
“Pitching is key,” Stout said. “We’ve got to have defense. We’ve got to hit the ball.”