Hawks score late for rout
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Liberty’s Nathanael Samarin rips a ball to center for an RBI triple in the third inning of Monday’s victory over Roosevelt.
Despite falling behind 2-0 and 4-1, the Liberty Hawks Baseball team scored 17 unanswered runs for an 18-4 victory over the Roosevelt-Fresno Rough Riders in a non-conference game at Liberty.
The Hawks pounded out 11 hits and took advantage of five Roosevelt errors and 13 walks to pick up the victory Monday in a game that lasted three hours into the night, despite daylights savings time.
“I have to hand it to Roosevelt,” head coach Mario Cosma said. “They did a good job and gave us a battle for the first three innings. We woke up and started hitting the ball and playing Hawk baseball like we were supposed to be. I was happy to see that we came back and put some nice innings together.”
Three different Hawks had two hits, 10 Hawks scored a run and nine drove in a run. Nathanael Samarin, Eli Gonzalez and Quaid Copher each drove in three runs and Colton Cardoza scored three runs.
“We just came out a little flat and took them a little lightly,” Cosma said. “I’m proud of the effort after the fourth inning. We were trying to get the first guy on base and move the line along. We’re going to put the ball in play, good defense and throw strikes. That’s how we’re going to win this year.”
Garrett McFarland struggled through the first 2 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits and four runs with just two strikeouts. Jameson Frazier picked up the win, going 2 1/3 innings. He didn’t allow a run on three hits with four strikeouts.
The Rough Riders scored two runs in the first on a single, a couple of stolen bases, a walk and a single for the 2-0 lead.
Liberty came back with a run in the second. Gonzalez drew a lead-off walk. He advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw and scored on a Copher sacrifice fly.
Roosevelt answered back with two runs in the third inning on two hits, two walks and an error for a 4-1 lead.
The Hawks then worked on the comeback. With one out, Chase Schellenger drew a four-pitch walk in the third. He came around to score on a Samarin triple to left-centerfield. Cardoza hit a ball in the same spot for another triple to score Samarin.
After Gonzalez drew a walk, Copher lined out to center and Gonzalez was caught off second after stealing the bag.
Liberty took the lead in the fourth inning. David Williams led off with a walk. Frazier drew a walk. After a flyout, Bradley Moon reached on a bunt single. Williams came in to score when the first baseman missed a throw while Frazier advanced to third.
Moon stole second and the throw from the catcher to second went into center field. Frazier and Moon both came in to score for a 6-4 lead.
Cardoza led off the fifth inning with a walk. He went to second on a wild pitch and stole third. He scored on a Copher single to left-center. Copher advanced to second on an error. Williams singled to center and pinch-runner Keaton Ellis came around to score while Williams took second. Williams advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Frazier sacrifice fly.
Gage Arter started another rally with a triple to right-centerfield and scored on a Moon single up the middle to lead 10-4.
After Copher threw a scoreless sixth, the Hawks sent 12 batter to the plate in an eight-run inning. Cardoza led off the inning with a walk. After he stole second, Gonzalez drew a walk.
Copher singled to right to drive in Cardoza. After a strikeout, Frazier drew a walk to load the bases. Arter forced Frazier at second, but Gonzalez came in to score.
Moon drew a walk to load the bases, again. Schellenger was hit by a pitch to drive in Copher. Samarin singled to right as Arter and Moon scored for a 14-4 lead.
The umpire called the game with a 10-run Liberty lead, but realized there wasn’t a 10-run rule in high school baseball any more and the game went on.
Cardoza drew his third straight walk to load the bases once more. Gonzalez quickly cleared the bases on the next pitch with a double to left-center for an 18-4 lead.
Samarin came in and retired the side in order in the seventh to end the game amid darkness at Liberty.
