Monache baseball rolls to playoff win
With an amazing game in the works the fans were packed in at Monache high baseball field. The Monache Marauders welcomed the Sierra Pacific Bears for the first round of the 2022 CIF Central Section Baseball Championships.
The Marauders went on to win after a break away in the fifth inning 17-5, progressing to the quarterfinals against Bakersfield high.
Starting the first inning out was Richie Bailey who made short work of the Bears. After three strikeouts the Marauders took their turn at bat. A.J. Cox slammed the ball into the outfield and ended up getting a home run as the ball sailed beyond the fence.
With Cox’s home run the Marauders were up 1-0 against the Bears. Milhous and Castillo earned runs in the third inning with Andrew Cabanyog, Cox, and Andrade bringing them in for a tied score 3-3. The fifth inning is where the Marauders took the game with an incredible 13 run inning.
Every single Marauder up to bat scored a run with Marauders Cabanyog, Colton Isom, Luis Alcantar, Ty Baxter, and Bailey earning two runs each. Starting off was Milhous who hit a pitch out to left field and took second. Andrade followed his teammate and walked.
Cox followed landed a vicious hit to right field, earning the first run of the inning as Milhous took home.
Castillo was hit by a pitch, loading the bases once again. Cabanyog took a pitch and sent it squarely into the outfield to bring in Andrade. Isom had incredible timing as he hammered the first pitch thrown his way for two runs as both Cox and Castillo ran home.
Next up to bat was Alcantar who garnered a walk, loading the bases once more for the Marauders. Baxter had a plan and with determination smashed the first pitch sent his way into the outfield to bring in Cabanyog; the Marauders now leading 8-3.
Bailey the Marauders pitcher had a hard time at first against the Bears pitcher as he’d strike out looking. But not to be counted out, Bailey had a second chance later in the inning. Bailey had a solid hit on his first pitch for the Marauders to gain a triple with Bailey coming home on the next pitch.
The Marauders final margin came with Castillo in the sixth inning. Castillo hit a double. Castillo was brought in by Isom, making for the Marauders 17th and final run of the game.
“I couldn’t ask for more, everyone did really well, this was a team win through and through,”marauders coach A.J. Watts commented “Ty (Baxter) did really well with a pinch hit that opened a lot of plays for us. (Colton) Isom had an amazing double in the second. Our pitchers Richie Bailey, Andrew Cabanyog, Colton Isom just made solid pitches at every turn.
“We did a good job today, and that’s not to diminish Sierra Pacific. There are no easy wins left in the season. It’s all gonna be hard no matter what the score says.
“Our outfield was solid as well with (Brysn) Hornsby and Isom getting good angles on pitches and jumping to catch fly balls. Our catcher Jayson Castillo also just had like multiple big blocks for the team keeping the Bears from scoring on us.
“A.J. Cox, I have to say, it’s his second time at Playoffs and I really think that he’s gone from a junior mentality into a senior mentality. He’s one of our best and he’s shown it again and again that he’s ready to play at these high levels. There was a moment in the sixth when I was talking with him and he decided to take a softer hit on a pitch to guarantee getting another guy home.
“He went from slugging to swinging with purpose and it showed when he got a hit with two RBIS. I’m looking forward to taking on Bakersfield, like I said before, there’s no easy games left so we’re gonna try our hardest.”