Coyotes win first battle with Torres
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Adam Landero drives in a run with one of his four singles during Tuesday’s 11-0 victory over Matilda Torres at Mel Parker Field.
The Matilda Torres Toros hung with the Madera Coyotes baseball team for the first three innings, but the Coyotes showed why they are the reigning Div. II Central Section champions with a six-run fourth inning for an 11-0 non-conference win
In the first meeting against Madera’s newest high school, the Coyotes banged out 11 hits for their victory Tuesday at Mel Parker Field.
“It was fun to see everybody play,” Madera head coach Andy Underwood said. “Some guys, it was supposed to be a confidence-boosting game, and they still struggled. We addressed it and need to work to make adjustments at the plate. For three or four guys, we want them to be consistent to be in the line-up everyday.”
Adam Landero led the Coyotes with four hits. He drove in two and scored a pair of runs. Eric Wilson and Aiden Owens each hit doubles. Owens also drove in three runs.
Meanwhile, the Madera pitching combination of Francisco Espejo and Nick Sweet held the Toros to just two hits — a double from Adrian Meza and a single by Amani Sua. Sua was the only player not to strike out against the Coyotes.
“I told these guys we are done with the age difference,” Toros head coach Bryan Rubalcaba said. “We are at the same level trying to compete with the same goals as everyone else. Our plan is to compete and get after it. We have potential to do that.”
Espejo struck out 11 batters over four innings. He struck out 10 of the first 11 batters.
Toros starting pitcher Will Valmonte allowed nine runs over 3 1/3 innings. He struck out five, but walked six batters. He kept the Coyotes in check for the first three innings, but Madera sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run fourth inning.
“Will has done pretty good for us this year,” Rubalcaba said. “It was one of those games where he didn’t have all of his stuff. He battled out there. They got some timely hits. They got ahead of us early and it was up to us to come back and get after it.”
For Underwood, he used the game as an opportunity to get players confidence in advance of the County/Metro Athletic Conference season, which begins next week.
“It’s always nice to put another penny on the scale,” he said. “It was going the other way a little bit. Hopefully, we can get a few more wins with league around the corner. I scheduled this week to work on some things to get some confidence.”
Madera got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning when Zamora led off with a walk. Ivan Castaneda put down a bunt for a base hit.
Valmonte bounced back with a strikeout and a flyout. However, Landero hit the first pitch he saw right up the middle to drive in Zamora while Castaneda advanced to third. After Landero stole second, Joel Arellano singled to left to drive in both Landero and Castaneda for a 3-0 lead.
While Espejo struck out the side in the second and third innings, Valmonte allowed a one-out single in the second and got two batters to fly out.
Zachary Robbins led off the third inning with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third with a single by Landero. Arellano drew a walk to load the bases.
Valmonte struck out the next two batters before a wild pitch scored Robbins for a 4-0 lead.
Sua got Matilda Torres’ first hit with a bad-hop single past third with two outs in the fourth inning. Joe Bass followed with a four-pitch walk, but the next batter struck out to end the inning.
With one out in the fourth, Castaneda started a stretch where eight Madera batters reached base with a walk. Eric Wilson singled to right to advance Castaneda to third.
Pinch-hitter Josh Alvarez blooped a single down the right field line to drive in Castaneda while Wilson advanced to third. Landero singled to left-center to drive in Alvarez.
Arellano walked to load the bases. Owens lined a double down the left field line to drive in Landero and Arellano.
Mathew Del Toro was hit by a pitch to chase Valmonte. Ryan Lutz came in and walked Adam Arias to load the bases. Zamora flew out to center, but it was deep enough drive in Owens for a 10-0 lead.
The Coyotes added another run in the fifth inning. Wilson led off with a double off the centerfield fence. Alvarez drew a walk and Landero singled to right to load the bases.
Arellano hit a grounder back to pitcher Sua. However, Sua thew to the plate to tag out Wilson for the first out of the inning. Owens flew out to center to drive in Alvarez for the 11-0 victory.
Matilda Torres put runners on base in the each of the final four innings, the final three with Sweet on the mound. Torres led off the seventh inning with a double by Adrian Meza. Ruben Garcia drew a walk. However, the next batter grounded into a force out and a double play ended the game.
