Reedley played two extra inning games against Fresno City College Baseball Cherie Smith Sports Reporter The Reedley College Baseball team started off the Central Valley Conference play against Fresno City College for a three game series. Reedley’s third baseman Mike Hostetler said. “Going into extra innings with them (Fresno City) twice was a challenge. I knew if we played hard and smart we would get what we wanted.” The next week the Tigers traveled to Sierra College for a nonconference game.
Reedley College’s Jonathan Chapa scored the game winning run in the top of the 10th inning at Fresno City College on Wednesday, February 20. The Tigers won 7-3.
Reedley College traveled to Fresno City College on Wednesday, February 20 for the first game of Central Valley Conference play. With bases loaded in the top of the third inning, Nate Broaddus hit a single, scoring two runs. In the bottom of the fourth Reedley was able to turn a double play, second baseman Justin Dea to shortstop Jonathan Chapa to first baseman Nick Pate.
In the ninth with two outs Fresno City tied the game. With one out and runners at first and third in the tenth, Hostetler hit a single, scoring Dea. Hostetler said, “It felt great to come through in the Fresno City game. I felt pumped up because I knew I did my job as an individual to help the overall team.” Then with two outs, Pate hit a single, scoring Chapa and Hostetler. In the bottom of the tenth, Fresno City scored a run and had the tying run at the plate, but Reedley held on to win 7-3. Chapa went 1-5 with a run scored. Nick Lee pitched eight and two-thirds innings striking out 12. Hostetler said, “When Nick (Lee) was pitching I felt comfortable knowing he was going to get the job done and I was excited for him as my teammate.” Anthony Valle got the final out of the ninth inning and earned the win. John Karch earned the save. Valle said, “I came in when they needed me and I did my job. It felt so good watching our team bat in five more runs. I was glad to see the team to be really happy when they put all the runs up.” The next conference game was Thursday, February 21 at Reedley against Fresno City. In the top of the forth Fresno City hit into a double play, second baseman Dea to shortstop Chapa to first baseman Pate. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Chapa and Laz Villa singled. Then Pate reached base on an error with two out scoring Chapa. Fresno City won 6-1.
Joe Doering pitched four and a third innings and got the loss. Villa went 4-4 and Villa said, “I wasn’t really paying attention to the hits, just more of getting on in any way possible to score and help my team win.” The final game of the three game series with Fresno City was on Saturday, February 23. Reedley scored runs in the third, fourth, and fifth to make it 6-0. In the seventh Fresno tied the game at seven. In the tenth Reedley scored a run and then Fresno tied the game. Fresno won 9-8 in the bottom of the 12th inning. During the bye week the Tigers traveled to Rocklin to play Sierra College. Sierra took a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning. In the top of the eighth Villa singled scoring Gonzalez. The next batter Pate hit a three run home run to left field scoring Josh Cantrell and Villa, giving Reedley a 4-3 lead. Hostetler said, “When Pate hit the home run I was on deck. I knew he was going to get on it but I saw him hit it and knew it was going out and was in joy because we were up and my buddy just hit his first homerun!” A Sierra batter doubled in the ninth, with a run scoring and another runner tagged out at the plate by Reedley’s catcher, Jordan Caglia. Sierra College won 5-4 in the bottom of the tenth. Lee pitched six and a third innings. Valle got the loss in extra innings. When asked about the game Valle said, “I was happy to see Pate hit the homer and again Lee battled up there.”