Remembering Willie Mays in Game 02

OAKLAND BALLERS (14-11) vs. YOLO HIGH WHEELERS (12-10)

Listen to the Yolo High Wheeler Commentary here

Watch the Game Broadcast on FloSports here

Pitching Matchup:
Oakland–RHP–Christian Cosby (2-1, 7.36) @ Yolo–LHP–Dawson Lane (0-1, 4.73)
Probables for Oakland (Thursday-Saturday at 4:30 p.m.; Sunday is at 1:05 p.m.)
6/20–Oakland–RHP–Carson Lambert (1-2; 7.77) @ Yolo–RHP–Brandon McPherson (1-0, 3.71)
6/21–Oakland–RHP–Jacob Reardon (0-0, 0.00) @ Yolo–RHP–Shaun Gamelin (0-1, 9.00)
6/22–Oakland–RHP–Derrick Cherry (1-1, 4.98) @ Yolo–LHP–Brandon Mitchell (1-0, 7.79)
6/23–Oakland–RHP–Aaron Eden (2-2, 6.00) @ Yolo–RHP–Ben Ferrer (1-1, 5.40)

TODAY'S STARTING PITCHER–36–LHP–DAWSON LANE (0-1, 4.73)

-third year pro makes fourth start/appearance of the season (game logs below)
-no-decision in last start 6/12 @ Northern Colorado
-lone decision was loss at OAK on 6/5; struck out nine matching Cameron Repetti for most in one game
-first year in Pioneer League, spent 2023 with New York Boulders of the Frontier League (6-4, 5.07)
-2022 was in the United Shore Baseball League (pro ball) with Westside Wooly Mammoths (Utica, Mi.)
-originally from Lakeland, Florida and is a graduate of Lakeland High School
-played two seasons at NAIA Montreat College & three years at Florida Southern College (NCAA-DII)
-at FSC was twice the winner of the Sunshine State Conference Pitcher of the Week
-head coach at FSC was former San Francisco Giants infielder Lance Niekro
-Niekro and Yolo pitching coach Jerome Williams were teammates with the Giants

GAME LOG
DATE OPP IP H R ER BB K DEC SCORE
5/29 GJ 4 6 0 0 4 3 ND 3-2
6/5 '@OAK 5 6 2 2 1 9 L 1-4
6/12 '@NOCO 4 1⁄3 7 6 5 5 5 ND 8-7

HIGH WHEELERS POSITION PLAYERS
2 KIRKLAND BANKS Last Game: 1-4; 2 R; RBI Hitting Streak: Six Games (9-27)
-first four-hit game of season on 6/12 @ NOCO.; HR back-to-back games at OAK 6/7-8
-Lamar University alum, originally from Lake Charles, Louisiana; loves eating alligator
-with Frederick (MLB Draft League) last year, (.387, 7, 29, 6 SB)
-was multi-offensive threat in five seasons of football at Lamar, primarily played wide receiver
-graduate of Barbe High School; helped lead the Buccaneers to three state titles in baseball

4 BRAYLIN MARINE Last Game: 5-6; 3 2B; HR; 2 RBI's; 5 R Hitting Streak: Nine Games (22-44)
-five hits yesterday, first five-hit game in team history; triple shy of cycle, five runs also tops on Yolo in one game
-season-long nine-game hitting streak, 22-44 (.500); streak matches longest by a Yolo player
-pro career best six RBI's on 6/16 at NOCO; went 3-6; three-double in 9th
-reached base safely 15X in series at Northern Colorado; has reached base safely 20X in last seven games
-last season at Mahoning Valley (MLB Draft League) (.318, 0, 17, 13 SB)
-five seasons at NCAA—Division II-- Newberry (SC) College; all-time SB leader with 100
-Wolves won two South Atlantic Conference Championships during his time

5 BRAYLAND SKINNER Last Game: 1-4; R; BB Hitting Streak: Three Games (5-13)
-hits in 11–of-his-last-13 games (20-51, .392); three homers in series at OAK
-first two homers of season on 6/8 @ OAK & seven RBI's in game, most by a High Wheeler
-played two seasons at Mississippi State and one year at University of Memphis
-member of the 2021 NCAA College World Series Champion Mississippi State Bulldogs
-finished second steals in the American Athletic Conference for Memphis last year with 22
-last season was in the MLB Draft League with Williamsport (.333, 1, 19, 12 SB)

7 BRAEDON BLACKFORD Last Game: 1-3; R; 3 RBI's Hitting Streak: One Game (1-3)
-pair of three-RBI's games in two-of-his-last three games; all four of homers were on last trip
-homered in three straight games @ OAK; 6/5-7, all solo, first High Wheeler with HR's in three consecutive games
-picked up the first hit in Yolo history with a first inning single on May 21
-played two years at Purdue Fort Wayne (NCAA-D-I, Horizon League)
-All-Horizon League First Team senior year at PFW, had 14 homers; prior to PFW played at Illinois State
-spent 2023 with State College (MLB Draft League), in 46 games, .270, 5, 34, 3 SB

9 MASON MINZEY Last Game: DNP Hitting Streak: One Game (1-3)
-three hits (all singles) in season opener on May 21; two hits in six AB's in this series
-three seasons of college ball was at Ohio University after beginning varsity career at Texas Tech
-played 32 games last year w/Williamsport (MLB Draft League) (.268, 0, 6)

11 BOBBY LADA (LUH-DAY) Last Game: 4-4; 5 R; 4 SB; 2 HP Hit Streak: Eight Games (20-35)
-reached base safely a team record six times yesterday along with four steals–also team-high in a game
-extended hitting streak to eight games (20-35, .571) with third four-hit game of season
-finished 15-29 (.517, 2 HR, 7 RBI) in series at NOCO; 3 XBH on 6/16; three-run HR, 4 RBI's
-homered on 6/9 at Oakland; two HR in series; 13-game on base streak come to an end 6/8
-completed Grand Junction series with two homers (Grand Slam) and 12 RBI's; was 10-21 (.476)
-had four hits (triple shy of the cycle) on 5/28 along with six RBI's vs. Grand Junction
-eighth inning Grand Slam on 5/28 vs. GJ was first homer in Yolo history
-West Virginia in 2023 (MLB Draft League), .336, 3, 29, 21 SB
-two seasons for the University of Louisiana, and finished college career at NAIA William Carey

14 JUSTIN KIRBY Last Game: 1-4; 2 BB; R; RBI Hitting Streak: Two Games (3-8)
-extended his runs scored streak to seven games yesterday (eight runs scored in that stretch)
-first pro homer was 6/11 @ Northern Colorado; two total in series
-three-hit game at Northern Colorado on 6/13
-outfielder signed on May 28th for his first pro contract; two hits on 5/28 in pro debut vs. GJ
-lead off pinch hit double on 6/8 @ Oakland sparking three-run ninth; first PH in team history
-went to spring training with Fargo (American Association) and Missoula (Pioneer League)
-played four seasons at Kent State University (Kent, Ohio) & last year at Auburn
-amassed 29 homers with Kent State and eight at Auburn; originally from Alpharetta, Ga.
-was Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year at Kent State in 2019 (.313, 9, 30)

23 JOSE GONZALEZ Last Game: 2-4; 2 2B; 3 RBI's Hitting Streak: Six Games (12-27)
-three RBI's yesterday with two doubles; ten RBI's over his last five games
-hit safely in all five games he played at NOCO (10-23, .435); all six homers on last trip
-triple shy of the cycle on 6/14 @ NOCO; had been 1-19 (.053) going into series at NOCO
-seven-game hit streak snapped 6/5; was 15-27 (.556), three homers in series at Oakland
-two homers 6/4 @ Oakland; first two homers of season; first Yolo player with two HR in a game
-reached base safely 19 times in series vs. Grand Junction
-four hits on 6/2 (all singles), completed a 13-22 six-game set (.591) with seven RBI's against Grand Junction
-amassed 33 homers in his Texas State University Bobcats career with a .290 average
-played in the 2022 NCAA Division I Baseball Team; Stanford All-Region Team (homered in set)
-originally from Spring, Texas (near Houston) and is an alum of Klein High School

31 TANNER SMITH Last Game: 0-4; 2 BB; R; RBI Hitting Streak: No Games
-nine-game hit streak (11-34, .324) snapped yesterday
-second professional season; last year with Tri-City (Frontier League) .289, 3, 23
-homered in back-to-back games at Oakland 6/7-8; first two homers of the season
-snapped an 0-15 to start season with eighth inning RBI single in first game of this series on 5/28
-five-year career at the University of Oregon
-ALL-TIME Oregon leader in homers with 31, RBI's with 58, games started 246, doubles with 69
-Honorable Mention, All Pac-12 Conference in 2023 (.327, 11, 45)
-four-year letter winner at Servite High School in Anaheim ; grew up a Los Angeles Dodgers fan in Newport Beach

35 ANGEL MENDOZA Last Game: 1-4; 2 RBI's; 2 BB Hitting Streak: Three Games (3-10)
-first pro HR 6/4 @ OAK; scored six runs in series @ OAK; 2-12 (.167) in series at NOCO
-last year was with Trenton (MLB Draft League), .185, 0, 8 , hit homer against the Savannah Bananas
-Appalachian Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2023 at Union College (KY)
-established single season school record with 25 homers, and 27 hit by pitches (.404, 25, 53)
-was third in the league in batting average at .404
-won the Gold Glove as catcher for the conference; helped lead Bulldogs to the NAIA Playoffs
-originally from Corona, California, played one year of NCAA Division I baseball at CSUN

37 KYLE GUERRA Last Game: 0-2 Hitting Streak: No Games
-second professional season; signed by the High Wheelers out of a tryout camp
-last season in Pecos League with the San Rafael Pacifics (42 games, .365, 4, 44, 32 SB)
-at Cal State Monterey Bay (NCAA-Division II); played four seasons with Otters (.296 lifetime)

44 ALEJANDRO FIGUEREDO Last Game: DNP Hitting Streak:
-first baseman joined High Wheelers yesterday from Billings (Pioneer League) .329, 3, 23, 21 games
-hitting streaks of five & six games this season, has two four-RBI games this year
-played at Billings last season (.287, 9, 38) for now Yolo manager Billy Horton
-originally from Sucre, Venezuela; three seasons at Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers, Florida
-overall had 41 homers in college, Florida Gulf Coast University is NCAA-DI (Atlantic Sun Conference)
-Third Team All-America & First Team All Conference in 2023 at FGCU–.361, 23, 71

HIGH WHEELERS BULLPEN (CURRENT SERIES): (3 IP, 4 BB, 1 K)
10 NOAH ESTRELLA Last Appearance: 6/15 @ Northern Colorado (1⁄3 IP, H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB)
-allowed four earned runs over three appearances @ NOCO
-pitched two seasons at New Mexico State (39 games overall with Aggies, was 5-3); appeared in 2022 NCAA
-last two summers with Pulaski in the Appalachian League (MLB Draft), combined 2-1 in 15 games
-father Erick was his high school coach at Flowing Hills in Tucson

17 JACK ZALASKY Last Appearance: 6/15 @ Northern Colorado (1 IP, K)
-suffered first loss of season squandering ninth inning lead allowing two runs on 6/13 @ NOCO
-picked up second win of season with perfect sixth inning on 6/12 @ NOCO
-earned his first win of season on 5/28 vs. GJ; recorded final out & picked up first SV in team history on May 21
-last year at Mahoning Valley (MLBDL) 1-0, 7.88, 12 games; native of Sacramento, alum of Elk Grove HS
-five seasons at Sac State was 16-9, 3.23 with 26 saves; ; led Western Athletic Conference in saves in 2023 with 11
-father Pat pitched at Sacramento State; grandfather played football at Sac State

22 NOAH LEWIS Last Appearance: 6/18 vs. Oakland (2 IP, 2 H, BB, K)
-finished game yesterday with two shutout innings; with Yolo three games totalling four scoreless frames
-signed 6/11 by Yolo, took place on roster when JC Ariza was placed on the IL
-first year pro began this season with the Marysville Drakes (1-1, 3.30) of the Pecos League where he was a starter
-went to spring training with the High Wheelers after being let go before the season
-right-hander is originally from Pleasanton, Ca. (Foothill HS) where he also played basketball and football
-pitched and played right field at Contra Costa Community College

25 TY BUCKNER Last Appearance: 6/14 @ Northern Colorado (1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K, SV)
-picked up second save of series on 6/14 @ NOCO and third overall this season
-spent three years pitching for Missouri State and one with Gonzaga (college career 8-9, 5.32)
-State College last year (MLB Draft) was 1-2 in 26 games with six saves, 1.74
-originally from St. Louis; missed two years in college with Achillies injury & Tommy John Surgery

30 TURNER THOMPSON
-RHP set to make his professional debut; played two seasons each at Tulane & Samford University
-signed yesterday by Yolo; grew up in Tampa where he still lives
-this season at Samford (Birmingham, AL) was 0-0 18 games, 8.55 ERA, 3-3 lifetime at Samford
-alum of Tampa Jesuit High School where the school won a state title when he was there

32 KRIS ANGLIN Last Appearance: 6/18 vs. Oakland (1 IP, 3 BB)
-two appearances @NOCO; perfect inning with 2 K on 6/13
-lone High Wheeler with affiliated experience (Atlanta and Detroit systems) ; 4-8 MiLB record
-didn't pitch competitively after spring training last season, spent 2023 working out and pitching on side
-Bakersfield native who attended Frontier High School

34 CONNOR LANGRELL Last Appearance: 6/16 @ Northern Colorado (1 2⁄3 IP, H, W)--first win of season
-over his last ten games, 12 1/3 shutout innings, 5 hits, one run, and nine strikeouts–0.73 ERA
-last season with Williamsport (MLB Draft) (0-0, 2.52, 23 games (all relief) ; three seasons DII Newman University in Wichita
-spent last college year (2023) as graduate player at Bradley University (2-1, 11 saves); originally from Tampa area

47 JACOB STOBART Last Appearance: 6/14 @ Northern Colorado (2 2⁄3 IP, H, BB, HP, W)
-team-high fourth-win on 6/14; now 4-0, tied for second most wins by a pitcher in the Pioneer League
-first win in team history pitching two innings in resumption of game from May 21st vs. Rocky Mountain
-second year in Pioneer League, played for manager Billy Horton last year with Billings (2-1, 2.38, six games)
-pitched much of last year with Aigles de Trois-Rivieres in Frontier League (0-0, 6.26, 22 games)
-attended Stephen F. Austin University; six wins in three seasons with Lumberjacks; originally from Phoenix

TEAM GAME HIGHS
Runs: 19 5/28 vs. Grand Junction
Runs Allowed 12 6/7 @ Oakland
Hits: 21 5/28 vs. Grand Junction
Hits Allowed: 15 6/7 @ Oakland
Home Runs 5 6/8 @ Oakland
Errors: 3 Accomplished Twice, last: 6/7 @ Oakland
Runs in inning: 9 5/28 vs. Grand Junction (Eighth Inning)
Strikeouts for Pitchers: 14 6/4 @ Oakland

INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE SINGLE GAME HIGHS
Hits 5 Braylin Marine 6/18 vs. Oakland
RBI's 7 Brayland Skinner 6/8 @ Oakland
Walks 3 Multiple Times last: Braedon Blackford 6/4 @ Oakland
Runs 5 Braylin Marine/Bobby Lada 6/18 vs. Oakland
Reaching Safely 6X Bobby Lada 6/18 vs. Oakland
Home Runs 2 Accomplished Twice last: Brayland Skinner 6/8 @ Oakland
Stolen Bases 4 Bobby Lada 6/18 vs. Oakland

INDIVIDUAL PITCHING SINGLE GAME HIGHS
Innings 6 Multiple Times last: Cameron Repetti 6/18 vs. Oakland
Hits 10 Shaun Gamelin 6/7 @ Oakland
Strikeouts 9 Multiple Times last: Cameron Repetti 6/18 vs. Oakland
Walks 5 Accomplished Twice last: Shaun Gamelin 6/14 @ Northern Colorado
Earned Runs 6 Shaun Gamelin 6/14 @ Northern Colorado

STARTING GAMES BY POSITION
C Mendoza (15), Minzey (7)
1B Gonzalez (12), Kuchinski (6), Minzy (3), Blackford (1)
2B Lada (13), Banks (7), Marine (2)
3B Blackford (12), Banks (6), Kuchinski (2), Leslie (2)
SS Marine (16), Lada (6)
LF Smith (9), Gonzalez (5), Banks (4), Kirby (4)
CF Skinner (19), Guerra (3)
RF Kirby (9), Smith (8, Guerra (5)
DH Kuchinski (9), Banks (2), Gonzalez (2), Lada (2), Marine (2), Smith (2), Blackford (1), Minzey (1), Skinner (1)

STARTING BATTING ORDER
1—Skinner (17), Marine (5)
2—Marine (13), Lada (6), Smith (3)
3–Lada (10), Blackford (3), Gonzalez (2), Minzy (2), Smith (2), Banks (1), Kuchinski (1), Marine (1)
4-Gonzalez (11), Kuchinksi (10), Blackford (1)
5-Banks (5), Blackford (5), Gonzalez (4), Kuchinski (4), Smith (2), Lada (1), Minzey (1)
6---Blackford (4), Banks (3), Kirby (3), Smith (3), Kuchinski (2), Marine (2), Minzey (2), Gonzalez (1), Lada (1), Skinner (1)
7—Kirby (7), Smith (6), Banks (3), Lada (3), Mendoza (1), Minzy (1), Skinner (1)
8—Banks (5), Guerra (4), Kirby (3), Minzey (3), Smith (3), Leslie (2), Blackford (1), Skinner (1)
9–Mendoza (14), Guerra (4), Minzey (2), Banks (1), Gonzalez (1)