Second Half of the Season Off to a Flyer
It's back-to-back seven-inning starts & wins for Yolo over the Ballers
Oakland Ballers
0-0
2
Yuba-Sutter Freebirds
0-0
5
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | X | 5 | 9 | 2 |
Davis, Ca.---It's back-to-back seven-inning starts/wins for Yolo High Wheelers (24-23, 1-0) right-hander Cameron Repetti (4-1) in a 5-2 victory over the Oakland Ballers (27-22; 0-1) on Tuesday afternoon at Dobbins Stadium. Repetti allowed two hits, one run (earned), he walked two, and struck out four. In his last two starts he's totalled 14 innings (1.93 ERA), 13 strikeouts, and three runs allowed. It was the first second half game for both teams.
High Wheelers manager Billy Horton said about Repetti, "he was outstanding and didn't even flinch using the new baseball. He's been pitching like an ace." Horton was referencing the bigger baseballs used for the second half in the Pioneer League. The first half the league used a smaller ball--same size as the majors.
Yolo jumped on the board in the first inning when center fielder Brayland Skinner hit an infield single toward first. After he stole second, two batters later second baseman Bobby Lada drove him in with a single to center.
It was 1-1 going to the sixth when Skinner began the rally with a single. Shortstop Braylin Marine followed with a single to right and that set the stage for second baseman Bobby Lada who gave Yolo the lead for good with an RBI double to left. The High Wheelers added two more runs as right fielder Jose Gonzalez delivered a sacrifice fly and left fielder Braedon Blackford had an RBI fielder's choice.
Horton said about the three-run sixth inning, "the guys did a great job of hitting the ball hard, just passing the stick,"
It was 5-1 Yolo going to the ninth inning when Ty Buckner entered. He allowed a run and twice had to work around the potential tying run but was able to close the victory.
"Eventhough it wasn't a save situation, I still have to close and lock down the game. I'm glad to bring us the win," Buckner said. "I had to get used to the bigger ball as it's a larger grip."
Oakland starter Justin Kleinsorge (0-2) suffered the loss. He went five innings (plus) and issued four runs (all earned) on six hits.
The teams meet again on Wednesday in Davis at 4:30 p.m. Right-hander Carson Lambert and righty Brandon McPherson are the scheduled starters for Oakland and Yolo respectively.
HIGH TALES
Gonzalez' streak of reaching base safely in 20 straight games came to an end as did his seven-game hitting streak. He was 10-23 during the streak, .435.
First baseman Eddie Niemann had hit safely in his first six Yolo contests but that streak came to an end. He was 0-3 and was hit with a pitch for the fourth time through his first seven games
Eight-of-the-nine Yolo hits were from the top three batters: Skinner, Marine, and Lada. It was Skinner's seventh three-hit game and Marine's tenth contest of at least three hits (also has a five-hit and two four-hit games).
Kirkland Banks who missed the seven-game series last week against Rocky Mountain (undisclosed illness) was back in the lineup Tuesday. He was 0-2 with a walk as the designated hitter
Jack Zalasky pitched a scoreless eighth inning
Oakland leads the season series 11-8