Stallions hold on for sweep of Hawks
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune
Liberty shortstop Jakson Bucher places a late tag on Madera South’s Anthony Gamiz on a stolen base attempt in the first inning of Saturday’s 8-6 Stallion’s victory.
The good news for Alan Sandoval’s Madera South Stallions baseball team is they scored eight runs for a second time against the Liberty Hawks.
However, unlike the season opening 8-1 victory, the Hawks showed a little more fight and made the game interesting at the end, but the Stallions held firm for an 8-6 victory Saturday afternoon at Liberty.
Brian Monges settled things down on the mound for the Stallions to pick up the victory. He tossed 4 1/3 innings of relief of starter JoJo Cosio, who allowed five runs in two-plus innings. Monges allowed three hits, an unearned and struck out five.
The same could be said for Liberty’s relief pitching. After starter Nathen Medina was tagged for eight runs, seven earned, in two innings, Jakson Bucher settled things down with four inning of shutout pitching. He allowed three hits and struck out five. Dylan Whiteman struck out one in his inning of work.
The Stallions banged out 12 hits in the game, but also left 10 runners on base. Monges and Murf Gray each had two hits with a double and both scored two runs. Elijah Tang and Xavier Cantu also had two hits while driving in two.
Liberty had 10 hits with doubles from McGuire Smith and Medina. Whiteman was 3-for-4 at the plate while lead-off hitter Quaid Copher was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
The Stallions scored all of their runs in the first two innings. Meanwhile, Liberty scored five of their runs in the first three innings and added a run in the seventh to make the game interesting with the winning run at the plate.
Monges led off the ballgame with an infield single. Gray doubled to the right field corner to put runners at second and third. Tang drew a walk to load the bases.
Cantu singled to right to drive in Monges and Gray. Anthony Gamiz forced Cantu at second, but Tang came in to score for a 3-0 lead.
Liberty battled back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Copher led off with a single up the middle. He advanced to second when Smith split the left-center gap for a double.
Bucher singled up the middle to drive in Copher. Medina forced out Bucher at second while Smith scored for a 3-2 Stallions’ lead.
Madera South sent nine players to the plate in the second with the first six batters reaching. Jasir Alvarez led off with a single up the middle. Jorge Gutierrez drew a walk. Gilbert Moisa reached on a bunt single. Alvarez scored when the throw to get Moisa at first went into right field. Gutierrez advanced to third and Moisa went to second.
Monges hit a fly ball to right that was dropped for an error. Gutierrez scored while Moisa advanced to second.
Gray singled to left to drive in Moisa. Monges and Gray advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Tang singled to right and Monges and Gray scored for an 8-2 lead.
Medina settled down and got a fly out, groundout and strikeout to end the inning.
Liberty used the top of the line up to scored three runs in the third.
Copher led off with a single and went to second on a wild pick-off throw. Copher advanced to third on a Smith groundout.
After a flyout, Medina walked and Vestal singled to left to drive in Copher. Whiteman singled to load the bases. With two outs, Brad Wallace singled up the middle while Medina and Vestal scored.
Both teams put runners on base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but neither team scored a run.
Liberty got a two-out, nobody on rally to make things interesting for Monges and Madera South. Medina doubled over the centerfielder’s head to start the rally. Vestal reached on an error while Medina came in to score. Whiteman singled to left to bring the game-winning run to the plate.
However, Monges got a groundout to first to end the game and secure an 8-6 victory.
The Stallions played Firebaugh on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Eddie Chapa Field and host Reedley on Thursday, also at 6:30 p.m.
