Page 9 - Dinuba Sentinel 7-12-18

Sports
B1
OC Knights softball take second place in all three age groups - See Page B6
The Dinuba Sentinel
Thursday, July 12, 2018 Cal Ripken Baseball
Cal Ripken All Stars run ends in Bakers eld
Team places
fourth in state
tournament
By George M. Villagrana Sports@thedinubasentinel.com
The Dinuba Cal Ripken 12 year-old All-Star baseball team did all they could to stay in the hunt for a berth into the PSW Regional Tournament in Long Beach but a 5-4 setback to Central eliminated the team in the Central California Cal Ripken State tournament last week in Bakersfield.
Dinuba finished the nine-team tournament with a 2-2 record.
Nursing a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, Central rallied for four runs to take a 5-2 lead. In the top half of the fifth, Dinuba’s Noah Gonzalez blasted a solo home run cutting into the deficit. With two outs and a runner at second, Matthew Guido ripped a double scoring Tristen Pena. Guido advanced to third when Jayce Prendez legged out an infield single. Prendez then stole second base putting runners on second and third. Batter Jerry Lopez hit a hard ground ball to second nearly beating the throw but was called out.
Prior to their game against Central, Dinuba was coming off a 7-3 win over San Luis Obispo. The team trailed 3-1 after four innings and rallied for six runs in the bottom of the fifth.
See Cal Ripken, Page B6
Photo contributed
The Dinuba 12 and under All Stars team wrapped up their season with a 2-2 record in the Central California Cal Ripken State Tournament held in Bakersfield Manager, Chris Kitauchi, Carmelo Mendoza, Owen Vega, Jose De La Cruz, Tristen Pena, Austin Hoover, Keine Prendez, Armando Mejia, Noah Gonzalez, coach Jose Prendez. Bottom row left to right are coach Jose Guido, Michael Lopez, Andrew Hernandez, Damian Orozco, Jerry Lopez, Matthew Guido and Jayce Prendez.
Majors Division All Star Baseball Game
Team Blue prevails 7-4
Players wrap up their season
with a hard fought game
Pompa raced home on the play. Hoover advanced to third on a passed ball but the threat came to an end on a strikeout. Both teams made pitching changes and each player delivered. Mejia took the mound in the second inning and struck out the side. In the bottom of the frame, De La Cruz issued a walk to Dom Gonzalez who put himself in scoring position stealing second base. Gonzalez’s teammate Aiden Alejandro also managed to draw a walk. De La Cruz did settle down slamming the door shut on that rally with an
inning ending strikeout.
In the third inning, both pitchers got in a groove. Mejia
struck out two batters and a ground out while De La Cruz struck out the side.
After a pitching change, Team Blue got to work in the fourth pushing across a pair of runs.
Angel Ruelas hit a single followed by a run scoring triple off the bat of Nunez who scored on an errant throw to third base. De La Cruz immediately followed with a single before advancing to third on an error but he was unable to score.
Team White continued to put pressure. Pompa hit a one- out single and Hoover reached base via a walk. Pompa and Hoover stole bases setting them up in scoring position but were stranded.
Team Blue added an insurance run when Jorge Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to start the fifth. Rodriguez eventually came around to score on a wild pitch.
By George M. Villagrana
Sports@thedinubasentinel.com
There was a little anxious moment from the crowd and coaches of Team Blue.
But that moment quickly vanished.
After issuing a walk to start the bottom of the fifth inning, Team Blue pitcher Marcos Nunez settled down striking out the next three batters securing a 7-4 win over Team White in the Dinuba Majors Division All-Star game held Monday evening at Felix Delgado Park.
Team Blue got out to a quick start in the game as two walks proved costly for Team White. The opening inning was highlighted by a two-run scoring single by Nunez. The next batter Jose De La Cruz added a triple and eventually scored on a throwing error for a 4-0 lead.
Team White answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Mondo Mejia drew a walk and scored on a hit by Damian Orozco. Anthony Pompa and Austin Hoover had consecutive singles scoring Orozco. With Elijah Guerrero at the plate, Hoover stole second base as
George M. Villagrana | The Sentinel
Majors Division All Star Softball Game
Team White pitcher Mondo Mejia struck out five of six batters he faced during a 7-4 loss to Team Blue in Dinuba Majors Division All-Star game Monday night.
Team Purple unable
to reel in Team Blue
in a 5-1 setback
Team Purple put the pressure on again with one out putting base runners on first and second base. Team Blue wiggled their way out of the jam with a force play at third and a strikeout. That sequence not only ended the scoring threat but gave them a boost of momentum heading into the bottom half of the inning.
Leading off the inning was Stephanie Hernandez who beat out a throw to first base and took second base on the play. After Bella Ortega reached first on a base hit, Chloe Quintana hit a sharp ground ball that got through the defense scoring Hernandez. Alexsus Villanueva’s single up the middle added another run for her team.
In the top of the third, Team Purple got a one-out base hit from Alyssa Martinez but could not advance as the next two batters struck out.
Team Blue teammates Ashley Queveda and Stephanie Hernandez avoid a collision but they were unable to come up with the ball during the first inning of Friday’s game.
George M. Villagrana | The Sentinel
Two teams with plenty of talent squared off as part of the Dinuba Majors All Star softball game played Friday night at Frank Delgado Park.
After 90 minutes of play, it was Team Blue who ended the softball season with a 5-1 win over Team Purple.
Team Blue built on a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning with some clutch hitting. With two outs, Team Blue pieced together a rally as Kailey Quevas and Ashlee Orosco got on base with consecutive hits. Samantha Contreras put the ball in play with a grounder that was mishandled by Team Purple’s defense allowing Queveda and Orosco to score.
Each team started the contest scoring a run each.
By George M. Villagrana
Sports@thedinubasentinel.com