County held scoreless for second straight game
Tyler Takeda/The madera Tribune
Madera-area baseball players populated both teams at the 53rd annual City/County All-Star baseball game on Friday at Chukchansi Park. The City held the County scoreless for the second straight game for a 9-0 victory. From left are Gage Arter (Liberty), Bret Carrell (San Joaquin Memorial), Cole Brincefield (Madera), Shane Pursell (Madera), Matt Alvarez (SJM), Jalen Gray (Madera South), Nikayha Castro (Madera), Austin Hickman (Chowchilla), Tommy Molina (Madera) and Cody Woolsey (Chowchilla). Carrell and Alvarez played for the winning City squad while the rest represented the County.
FRESNO — The City made it two shutouts in a row over the County in the 53rd annual City/County All-Star Baseball game at Chuckchansi Park.
The City team scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning off Sanger ace Jake Harrell and cruised the rest of the way for a 9-0 victory Friday night.
Cole Brincefield (Madera) and Shane Pursell (Madera) earned starts for the County. Brincefield had a single and Pursell stole a base.
Also joining Brincefield and Pursell from Madera were Tommy Molina, who flew out in his only at-bat, and Nikayha Castro, who threw a perfect fourth inning.
“I was ready coming in,” Castro said. “I felt really good and coming on. It was my last high school game so I came in ready. It felt really good to see everyone happy to play one more time. It was a great feeling.”
Liberty pitcher Gage Arter, of the back-to-back Div. V champions, tossed 2/3 innings and allowed two runs, one earned in the eighth.
“It was different not having the team around,” he said “However, I got to meet some of the guys so it was a good experience. It was tough talking to guys i wanted to strike out, but we gave each other a bad time, but it was all in fun.
Jalen Gray (Madera South) also had a single.
“It was the highlight of my night,” Gray said. “I was nervous at the beginning. Once I started to settle down, I realized it was another game and had to do what I do.”
Chowchilla ace Austin Hickman tossed a scoreless inning and grounded out. Teammate Cody Woolsey struck out in his only at-bat.
On the City side, San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno players from Madera, Matthew Alvarez went 1-2 on the day in the first three innings and scored a run, and Brett Carrell played shortstop in the middle three innings and went 0-1 at the plate with a walk.
