Pro T’s holds off Colts for AAA title
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera National Little League champions Pro-T’s show off the rings they won after capturing the Madera City Championship by defeating Madera American Little League champs South County Colts Jr.
Despite walking 20 batters, Madera National Little League champion Pro T’s didn’t make as many mistakes as Madera American Little League champion South County Colts to win the Madera City Championship over the weekend.
Pro T’s scored in every inning but one and took advantage of 17 South County errors for an 18-13 victory Saturday at the M.A.L.L. field.
Four Pro T’s pitchers combined to limit South County to just three hits — Julian Ruiz, Benton Ellington and Isaac Molina.
Jayden Roman picked up the win for Pro T’s. He threw an inning and allowed three runs, but just two were earned. He didn’t allow a hit and struck out a batter.
Josiah Mejia came in relief and tossed the final two innings. He also didn’t allow a hit and struck out three. He allowed two runs, both earned.
South County pitcher Jadin Hernandez allowed 10 runs in his 3 2/3 innings pitched, however, eight of the runs were unearned. He struck out seven and allowed three hits. Of the 18 runs Pro T’s scored against South County, just six were earned and three pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts.
Elijah Sierra had two hits for Pro T’s. Josiah Mejia, Jayce Rios, Johnny Garcia and Matthew Gonzalez each had a hit. Rios scored three runs and drove in three. Mejia, Sierra, Roman and Mejia each scored three runs.
Alonzo Lopez walked four times and scored four times for South County. Julian Rios also scored three runs.
Pro T’s opened the game with four runs in the first inning. Sierra, Mejia, Rios and Gabriel Cabrera each scored runs.
South County came back with two runs in the first. Ruiz doubled to open the inning. Lopez drew a walk and both runners scored on wild pitches for a 4-2 Pro T’s lead.
Hernandez held Pro T’s scoreless in the second and South County had momentum with a five run second inning. Sammy Molina, Juan Gil, Isaac Molina, Ruiz and Lopez each scored runs for a 7-4 lead.
Pro T’s scored four runs in the third when Sierra, Roman, Mejia and Rios crossed the plate to take an 8-7 lead.
South County tied it in the bottom of the inning. Nathan Villanueva drew a walk, went to third on wild pitches and scored on Molina’s groundout to tie the game at eight.
Pro T’s scored four runs in the fourth. Stephen Rinder, Ryan Jones, Sierra and Roman each scored. Mejia drove in two runs with a single for a 12-8 lead.
South County cut the lead to one with three runs in the fourth. Lopez, Lafayette Webster and Ellington each scored.
Diego Vega and Rinder scored in the fifth to extend Pro T’s lead to 14-11.
Ruiz and Lopez turned walks into runs for South County, but left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, trailing 14-13.
Pro T’s extended its lead in the sixth. Roman, Mejia, Rios and Johnny Garcia each scored runs for a five run lead.
After a walk, Mejia struck out two batters to give Pro T’s an 18-13 victory and the Madera City Championship.
