SIDEWINDERS
Raiders after going four-plus innings with seven runs and five earned runs.
The game was 1-0 going into the bottom of the fourth when the Sidewinders’ bats got going. They were led offensively by Alex Castaneda at 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Daniel Ortega was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a triple, Gabriel Valenzuela was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a double, and Christopher Bazua was 2-for-3.
There weren’t many at bats for Franco to catch his breath with the eight players having hits.
“The way our kids came out (was great),” San Luis coach Cesar Castillo said. “The bottom of the order got some big hits in clutch situations and that counted today. We had only one (run) yesterday and luckily we pitched and played defense. Today the offense came alive and hopefully it can carry over to tomorrow.”
San Luis scored five runs in the fourth
inning to go up 6-0, and was finally able to knock Franco out of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Ortega had a triple to the wall in right field in the bottom of the fifth to score two runners and he later scored on a passed ball to put San Luis up 9-0.
The Raiders were able to bounce back a little bit in the top of the sixth with an RBI double by Ricky Munoz. Izaak Varela was also 1-for-3 with a double and Esteban Hernandez was 1-for-3 with a triple for the day.
San Luis put the mercy rule into effect in the bottom of the sixth after an RBI single from Castaneda drove in Hernandez for the 11-1 win.
“The way our pitchers are coming along (is great),” Castillo said. “Right now it’s a test to see what we’re actually doing because we don’t know yet. Our strength of schedule hasn’t been great, but this is really to see how good we are. Right now we’re playing well, but it has to be another day. We’ll see if we can finish it off tomorrow, but it’s going to be a tough battle again.”
• Boys: Outside of aforementioned Division I provisional qualifiers Jake Smith (3200m) and Levi Galvan (shot put), senior Thomas Cain is the only other possibly state-bound Raider at this point in the season. Well, Cain isn’t possibly state-bound — he’s for sure so in the 1,600 meters (automatic-qualifying time of 4:23.26 set at the Rattler Booster Invite on March 17) and almost certainly so in the 3,200 meters (current provisional time of 9:37.53).
Cain, the defending Division I state champ in the 3200, is currently ranked No. 8 in the state in that event and No. 6 in the 1600.
• Girls: Up to this point in the season, only the aforementioned Mori Gordon (100m, 300h) and Rylee Lakey (high jump) have individually provisionally qualified for the Raider girls. Their 4x100-meter and 4x800-meter relays have, as well, though.
• Boys: Senior Michael Jaso is currently a Division I provisional qualifier in the 3,200 meters at 9:56.33, and the Kings have provisionally qualified in the 4x400-meter (3:36.82) and 4x800-meter (8:32.86) relays. The 4x4 time was set at the district meet. Coach Melissa Johnson added Tuesday that she’s been particularly impressed with the emergence of freshman Chris Diaz, who took second in the 400 and fourth in the 200 at districts. • Girls: The Kings have two girls currently ranked top-eight in Division I in two events. Junior Karen Rivas is No. 4
The aforementioned Tevon Pauldon is the only individual state qualifier for Yuma High so far this season, though the Criminals did post a provisional-qualifying time in the boys 4x100meter relay Tuesday. Kitty Hummer (6th in 3200m) was the Criminals’ top girls individual finisher.
The Sidewinders do not currently have any Division I state qualifiers. Scoring points individually for San Luis on Tuesday were: Alex Diaz (2nd in boys discus), Aldo Pena (4th in boys 100m), Jesus Morales (4th in boys shot), Rachell Pena (3rd in girls discus), Valeria Castro/Adriana Sanchez (T4th in girls high jump), Brittny Pullin (5th in girls long jump).
The Shamrocks have competed in just one qualifying meet thus far (the Buckeye Lions Invite on March 3), and junior J.R. Henderson was their only athlete to post a Division III provisional mark in an individual event (boys long jump at 20-6.5).
The Warriors have competed at two qualifying meets thus far — the Chandler Prep Invite on March 3 and the Phoenix Christian Cougar Qualifier on March 14 — but have yet to have an athlete post a Division IV provisional mark. Adrian Ramirez in the boys 100m/200m and Alfonso Aragon in the boys 800m have come the closest.