All-Stars get ready for state tourneys
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Babe Ruth 14-year-old All-Star Brian Monges singles in the second inning of Monday’s scrimmage against the 15-year-old all-Stars. Monges scored a pair of runs in a 13-12 victory at Mel Parker Field.
In preparation for this weekend’s Central California State Babe Ruth Tournament, the Madera Babe Ruth 15-year-old and 14-year-old all-star teams met up in a scrimmage.
The younger Babe Ruth All-Stars used a four-run sixth innings to complete a come-from-behind 13-12 victory Monday in Mel Parker Field.
The 14-year-old All-Stars are currently playing in the state tournament this weekend in Mel Parker Field. Play continues through Tuesday. Meanwhile, the 15-year-old All-Stars head to the state tournament in Lompoc and the 13-year-old All-Stars play in Santa Maria this weekend.
The game was the second in two days for the 14-year-old All-Stars to be playing a team older than them. They hosted the 16-under Fresno Marlins on Sunday.
While the 15-year-old All-Stars pounded the 14-year-old pitching staff for 20 hits and took advantage of costly errors for five unearned runs, the 14’s took what was given to them in the win. In the game-deciding sixth inning, the 14-year-olds drew three straight walks and scored on a wild pitch, an error, a fielder’s choice and a single for the comeback.
Isaiah Monge led the 14’s with three hits and four RBIs. Ivin Ponce had two hits with three RBIs. Lead-off hitter David Zavala scored four runs and Murf Gray scored three more.
Eleven different 15-year-olds got hits against the 14s pitching staff. Nathan Palacioz and Jordan Flowers led the team with three hits each. Palacioz added two doubles with two RBIs and two runs scored. C.J. Robinson and Dominic Gutierrez each had two hits.
Isaac Flores picked up the win for the 14-year-old All-Stars. He allowed two runs in his two innings of work, but was on the mound when his team took the lead. Matthew DeFranco allowed a hit in the seventh, but retired the side without damage to earn the save.
The 15-year-old All-Stars got on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Izaak Murillo led off the game with a singe, but he was forced at second by Dylan Cosgrove, who was later caught trying to steal second.
Nate Martinez started the run-scoring rally with a walk. A.J. Rocha followed with a single to left. Palacioz then hit a ball to the right-center gap. Both Martinez and Rocha scored, but Palacioz was thrown out trying to stretch the double into a triple with a strong relay throw from David Zavala to end the inning.
The 14s countered with four runs in the bottom of the first. Zavala led off the inning with a double off the centerfield fence. Brian Monges grounded out to move Zavala to third. He scored on a Murf Gray single to left. After Gray stole second, David Ramirez singled him to third.
Monge singled to right-center to drive in Gray. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a passed ball. After a groundout, Ponce singled to left to drive in both Ramirez and Monge for a 4-2 lead.
The 15s countered with a run in the second. Robinson led off the inning with a double to right-center. He went to third on a Jordan Flowers single and scored on an Isaac Flores single to right. However, the next three batters were retired in order to keep the 14s in the lead.
The 14s added to its lead in the second inning. J.R. Garcia led off the inning by reaching on a single. The next batter hit a grounder back to pitcher Nathan Palacioz, but he threw wild to second to allow both runners to be safe.
Garcia stole third and the throw went into left field to allow Garcia to score. After a Monges single and a pop out, Ramirez singled to left to drive in Zavala and a wild throw allowed Monges to score an additional run. Monge followed with another single, but Palacioz got a strikeout and a flyout to get out of the inning trailing 7-2.
The 15s cut into the lead by a run when Gutierrez led off the third with a single. He went to second on an error and, after a passed ball, scored on a Murillo groundout.
Robinson retired the 14s in order in the bottom of the third to set up a six-run top of the fourth.
With one out, Palacioz doubled to left center. After a flyout, Flowers singled to left. Isaac Flores blooped a single to right to drive in Palacioz. Raul Medrano reached on an error to drive in Flowers and Flores. Ryan Cosgrove singled up the middle and Roque singled to center to drive in Medrano. Gutierrez singled home Roque for the sixth run of the inning and give the 15-year-old All-Stars a 10-7 lead.
The 14s answered back with two more runs. Zavala led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. After a popout, Zavala stole second. Gray walked, but Ramirez reached on an infield single to load the bases. Monge singled up the middle to drive in both Zavala and Gray to cut the lead to one.
Flores pitched a scoreless fifth for the 14s while Roque tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning for the 15s.
In the top of the sixth, the 15s added to its lead. Palacioz led off with a single to center. He stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Robinson single up the middle. Robinson went to second on a Flowers single, to third on a Flores single and scored on a Medrano single through a drawn in infield for a 12-9 lead.
Pitcher Isaac Flores settled down for a strikeout and then got a double play to end the inning.
Roque walked the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the sixth and was replaced by Martinez.
With Zavala at second and Monges at first, Gray greeted Martinez by drawing a walk the load the bases. After a wild pitch scored Zavala, Martinez struck out Ramirez, but the Monge reached on a fielder’s choice on a grounder to first.
The 15s first baseman tried to throw to the plate to get the out, but threw in the dirt. The ball got past the catcher, allowing Monges and Gray to score and tie the game.
After another strikeout, Ponce singled to right-center to drive in Monge with the go-ahead run.
DeFranco came in and got a lineout and a groundout to open the seventh. He allowed an infield single to Dylan Cosgrove, but got a groundout to third to end the game and give the 14-year-old All-Stars a 13-12 victory over their older combatants.
