City hangs onto early lead over County team
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune Madera baseball all-stars were joined by Madera residents playing for the opposition during Friday’s City/County All-Star baseball game. From left are Isaiah Torres (Liberty), Jiovanni Saavedra (Madera South), Nick Martinez (Madera), Oscar Reyes (Madera South), Josh Conigliaro (Madera South), Caleb Pursell (Madera), Mikey Alvarez (San Joaquin Memorial) and Zachary Carr (San Joaquin Memorial). The City won 6-2.
FRESNO — The City All-Stars baseball team took the lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back for a 6-2 victory in the 51st annual City/County All-Star baseball game at Chukchansi Park.
The County All-Stars were limited to just four hits and committed four errors that allowed two unearned runs to score Friday.
Madera South’s Oscar Reyes started at shortstop and Madera’s Caleb Pursell started at second base Friday night. Also participating in the game for the County were Madera South’s Josh Conigliaro and Jiovanni Saavedra and Madera’s Nick Martinez.
“It was nice with all the guys from the different cities,” said Martinez, the County/Metro Athletic Conference Player of the Year and The Madera Tribune’s Most Valuable player. “It was a good experience. I want to win. It’s competitive, but everyone is here to have fun for one last high school game. It was nice to go out the way I did with the senior year I had.”
“It feels good, but I’m going to better things,” said Josh Conigliaro, three-time all-Madera Tribune baseball team selection. “I’m off to college ball and see what’s out there. I never thought I would play with them. It felt a little different catching different pitchers, but I made the best out of it.”
Reyes grounded out in the first and third innings. Pursell drew a second inning walk and advanced to second.
Liberty’s Isaiah Torres reached on an error in the fourth inning. Martinez flew out to right in the fifth and Conigliaro grounded out in the eighth.
Martinez took the mound in the eighth. He allowed two singles to open the inning, but he got two flyouts He got a potential inning-ending groundout, but an error allowed thre runner to reach and drive in an unearned run.
Saavedra came in relief and got the final batter to ground out.
The City took the lead on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning. Travis Turney (Clovis West) hit the first pitch he saw off a light pole beyond the right field fence for a home run. The City added a run with a walk and two singles for a 2-0 lead.
The County tied the game in the fourth. With one out, Gabriel Galindo (Parlier) tripled down the right field line to drive in Brandon Mares (Dos Palos). Thomas Camargo (Kerman) grounded out to drive in Galindo to tie the game.
However, the City reclaimed the lead in the fourth. A walk and a Turney triple drove in another run. An error allowed Turney to score for a 4-2 lead.
From there, the City pitchers allowed just one County hit and kept them off the scoreboard.
The City added a run in the bottom of the seventh after a hit by pitch, walk and infield single. An unearned run in the eighth allowed the City to win its second straight all-star game.
